Black Genealogy

Slave Narrative of William W. Watson

Do I remember slavery? Who could forget these lash prints on my back. Some time I set here and look at my wife and think Lord help me look what I live through. Me and my wife had a car wreck early last year, that made her lose her mind so she just sings all the time cant think. Raises chickens and talks like a baby. She is two years older than me, and too she is the mother of thirteen children, had lots of trouble. I am still able to find the cows and horses that belong to my … Read more

Slave Narrative of Charles Willis

Person Interviewed: Charles Willis Place of Birth: Lawrence County, Mississippi I found Mr. Willis seated on the front porch eating lemon drops out of a bag. He consumed the whole bag during the interview which lasted about 3 hours. He talked slowly and between his sucks on the lemon drops. He is hard of hearing and is losing his eyesight. He possesses a good sense of humor. Talked incessantly of matrimony and pretty gals. I was born in Lawrence County, Mississippi on the Sharp Plantation. My missus was name Sang Sharp and my mastah was name John Sharp. My mastah … Read more

Slave Narrative of Acemey Wofford

Person Interviewed: Acemey Wofford Date of Birth: June 13 Age: 100 (about) The folks say I’m about 100 years old but there’s no way of me telling about that. I remember the master told me I was born on June 13, but I don’t know what was the year. Maybe I know once, but not now, for the only things I remember now is about the master. I mean my second master who brought me from somewhere in Mississippi to Texas. He was Doctor Hayes; the mistress was Malissa. She was mean, not like the master himself. When the mistress … Read more

Slave Narrative of Alfred Smith

Person Interviewed: Alfred Smith Place of Birth: Calhoon, Georgia Occupation: Farmer I was born in Calhoon, Georgia. I don’t know the date of birth, but as near as I can get at, my age is 80 years old. My mother’s name is Mary Johnson and my father’s name is Alexandra Hamilton. He was named for his first master, but was later sold to Master Smith. I haven’t seen neither of them. I don’t even know how or who raised me up into the teens in age. I just remember my working here and there for what I could get. I … Read more

Slave Narrative of Elsie Pryor

The first Mistis I remember was named Mary Ellis, she was part Choctaw Indian. I don’t remember ole Marster at all. When ole Miss’s daughter got married, ole Miss give her a little nigger girl. That was me an’ when I was a little thing, too. I don’t remember who young Miss married. They didn’t tell little niggers nothin’, we just found out what we could and din’t pay much tention to that. An’ not much ‘tention to what we saw. We was jes like little varmints. They’d cut arm holes and head holes in croker sacks and tell us … Read more

Slave Narrative of Annie Groves Scott

Person Interviewed: Annie Groves Scott Place of Birth: Lyonsville, South Carolina Date of Birth: March 18, 1845 Just before the war broke out I was fifteen year old and my mistress told me I was born March 18, 1845, at a little place she called Lyonsville, South Carolina. Maw (that’s all the name she ever called her mother) was born at Charlotte, N.C., and father was born at Lyonsville, same as me, and his name was Levi Grant, which changed to Groves when he was sold by Master Grant. That was when I was a baby and I wants to … Read more

Slave Narrative of Wade Glenn

Interviewer: Miriam Logan Person Interviewed: Wade Glenn Location: Lebanon, Ohio Date of Birth: October 30th Miriam Logan, Reporter Lebanon, Ohio Warren County, District 21 Story of WADE GLENN from Winston-Salem North Carolina: (doesn’t know his age) “Yes Madam, I were a slave-I’m old enough to have been born into slavery, but I was only a baby slave, for I do not remember about slavery, I’ve just heard them tell about it. My Mammy were Lydia Glenn, and father were Caesar Glenn, for they belonged to old Glenn. I’ve heard tell he were a mean man too. My birthday is October … Read more

Slave Narrative of Melissa (Lowe) Barden

Interviewer: Frank M. Smith Person Interviewed: Melissa (Lowe) Barden Location: Youngstown, Ohio Place of Birth: Chattooga County, Georgia Age: 80-90 Place of Residence: 1671 Jacobs Road Ex-Slaves Mahoning County, District #5 Youngstown, Ohio The Story of MRS. MELISSA (LOWE) BARDEN, Youngstown, Ohio. Mrs. Melissa (Lowe) Barden of 1671 Jacobs Road, was “bred and born” on the plantation of David Lowe, near Summersville, Georgia, Chattooga County, and when asked how old she was said “I’s way up yonder somewheres maybe 80 or 90 years.” Melissa assumed her master’s name Lowe, and says he was very good to her and that she … Read more

Slave Narrative of Nancy East

Person Interviewed: Nancy East Location: Middletown, Ohio Place of Residence: 809 Seventeenth Ave., Middletown, Ohio Butler County, District #2 Middletown MRS. NANCY EAST 809 Seventeenth Ave., Middletown, Ohio “Mammy” East, 809 Seventeenth Ave., Middletown, Ohio, rules a four-room bungalow in the negro district set aside by the American Rolling Mill Corporation. She lives there with her sons, workers in the mill, and keeps them an immaculate home in the manner which she was taught on a Southern plantation. Her house is furnished with modern electrical appliances and furniture, but she herself is an anachronism, a personage with no faith in … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mary B. Dempsey

Interviewer: Betty Lugabell Person Interviewed: Mary Belle Dempsey Location: Ohio Age: 87 Folklore: Ex-Slaves Paulding Co., District 10 MARY BELLE DEMPSEY Ex-Slave, 87 years “I was only two years old when my family moved here, from Wilford county, Kentucky. ‘Course I don’t remember anything of our slave days, but my mother told me all about it.” “My mother and father were named Sidney Jane and William Booker. I had one brother named George William Booker.” “The man who owned my father and mother was a good man.” He was good to them and never ‘bused them. He had quite a … Read more

Slave Narrative of John Eubanks & Family

Interviewer: Archie Koritz Person Interviewed: John Eubanks Location: Gary, Indiana Place of Birth: Barren County, Kentucky Date of Birth: June 6, 1836 Age: 98 Archie Koritz, Field Worker Federal Writers’ Project Lake County-District #1 Gary, Indiana EX-SLAVES JOHN EUBANKS & FAMILY Gary, Indiana Gary’s only surviving Civil War veteran was born a slave in Barren County, Kentucky, June 6, 1836. His father was a mulatto and a free negro. His mother was a slave on the Everrett plantation and his grandparents ware full-blooded African negroes. As a child he began work as soon as possible and was put to work … Read more

Slave Narrative of Barney Stone

Interviewer: Robert C. Irvin Person Interviewed: Barney Stone Location: Noblesville, Indiana Place of Birth: Spencer County, Kentucky Date of Birth: May 17, 1847 Age: 91 (about) Robert C. Irvin District #2 Noblesville, Ind. EX-SLAVE, LIFE STORY OF BARNEY STONE, FORMER SLAVE, HAMILTON CO. This is the life story of Barney Stone, a highly respected colored gentleman of Noblesville, Hamilton County seat. Mr. Stone is near nintey-one years old, is in sound physical condition and still has a remarkable memory. He was a slave in the state of Kentucky for more than sixteen years and a soldier in the Union army … Read more

Slave Narrative of Rosa Barber

Interviewer: William Webb Tuttle Person Interviewed: Rosa Barber Location: Muncie, Indiana Place of Birth: North Carolina Date of Birth: 1861 Place of Residence: 812 South Jefferson Muncie, Indiana Submitted by: William Webb Tuttle District No. 2 Muncie, Indiana SLAVES IN DELAWARE COUNTY ROSA BARBER 812 South Jefferson Muncie, Indiana Rosa Barber was born in slavery on the Fox Ellison plantation at North Carden[TR:?], in North Carolina, in the year 1861. She was four [HW: ?] years old when freed, but had not reached the age to be of value as a slave. Her memory is confined to that short childhood … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mittie Blakeley

Interviewer: Anna Pritchett Person Interviewed: Mittie Blakeley Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Place of Birth: Oxford, Missouri Date of Birth: 1858 Place of Residence: 2055 Columbia Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana Federal Writers’ Project of the W.P.A. District #6 Marion County Anna Pritchett 1200 Kentucky Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana FOLKLORE MRS. MITTIE BLAKELEY-EX-SLAVE 2055 Columbia Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana Mrs. Blakeley was born, in Oxford, Missouri, in 1858. Her mother died when Mittie was a baby, and she was taken into the “big house” and brought up with the white children. She was always treated very kindly. Her duties were the light chores, which had to … Read more

Slave Narrative of Carl Boone

Interviewer: Robert C. IrvinPerson Interviewed: Carl BooneLocation: Anderson, IndianaPlace of Birth: Marion County, KentuckDate of Birth: 1850Place of Residence: 801 West 13th Street, Anderson, Madison County, Indiana Submitted by: Robert C. Irvin District No. 2 Noblesville, Ind. SLAVES IN MADISON COUNTY CARL BOONE Anderson, Indiana This is a story of slavery, told by Carl Boone about his father, his mother and himself. Carl is the last of eighteen children born to Mrs. Stephen Boone, in Marion County, Kentucky, Sept. 15, 1850. He now resides with his children at 801 West 13th Street, Anderson, Madison County, Indiana. At the ripe old … Read more

Slave Narrative of Nathan Jones

Interviewer: Anna Pritchett Person Interviewed: Nathan Jones Location: Indiana Place of Birth: Gibson County, Tennessee Date of Birth: 1858 Place of Residence: 409 Blake Street Federal Writers’ Project of the W.P.A. District #6 Marion County Anna Pritchett 1200 Kentucky Avenue FOLKLORE NATHAN JONES-EX-SLAVE 409 Blake Street Nathan Jones was born in Gibson County, Tennessee in 1858, the son of Caroline Powell, one of Parker Crimm’s slaves. Master Crimm was very abusive and cruel to his slaves. He would beat them for any little offense. He took pleasure in taking little children from their mothers and selling them, sending them as … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mrs. Preston

Interviewer: G. Monroe Person Interviewed: Mrs. Preston Location: Madison, Indiana Age: 83 Place of Residence: North Elm Street, Madison, Indiana G. Monroe Dist. 4 Jefferson County SLAVE STORY MRS. PRESTON’S STORY Mrs. Preston is an old lady, 83 years old, very charming and hospitable She lives on North Elm Street, Madison, Indiana. Her first recollections of slavery were of sleeping on the foot of her mistress’ bed, where she could get up during the night to “feed” the fire with chips she had gathered before dark or to get a drink or anything else her mistress might want in the … Read more

Slave Narrative of Rosaline Rogers

Interviewer: Anna Pritchett Person Interviewed: Rosaline Rogers Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Place of Birth: South Carolina Date of Birth: 1827 Age: 100 Place of Residence: 910 North Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana Federal Writers’ Project of the W.P.A. District #6 Marion County Anna Pritchett 1200 Kentucky Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana FOLKLORE MRS. ROSALINE ROGERS-EX-SLAVE-110 YEARS OLD 910 North Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana Mrs. Rogers was born in South Carolina, in 1827, a slave of Dr. Rice Rogers, “Mas. Rogers,” we called him, was the youngest son of a family of eleven children. He was so very mean. Mrs. Rogers was sold and taken … Read more

Slave Narrative of Parthena Rollins

Interviewer: Anna Pritchett Person Interviewed: Parthena Rollins Location: Indiana Place of Birth: Scott County, Kentucky Date of Birth: 1853 Place of Residence: 848 Camp Street (Rear) Federal writers’ Project of the W.P.A. District #6 Marion County Anna Pritchett 1200 Kentucky Avenue FOLKLORE MRS. PARTHENA ROLLINS 848 Camp Street (Rear) Mrs. Parthena Rollins was born in Scott County, Kentucky, in 1853, a slave of Ed Duvalle, who was always very kind to all of his slaves, never whipping any of the adults, but often whipped the children to correct them, never beating them. They all had to work, but never overwork, … Read more

Slave Narrative of Amanda E. Samuels

Interviewer: Anna Pritchett Person Interviewed: Amanda Elizabeth Samuels Location: Indiana Age: 80 Place of Residence: 1721 Park Avenue Federal Writers’ Project of the W.P.A. District #6 Marion County Anna Pritchett 1200 Kentucky Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana FOLKLORE AMANDA ELIZABETH SAMUELS 1721 Park Avenue Lizzie was a child in the home of grandma and grandpa McMurry. They were farmers in Robinson County, Tennessee. Her mother, a slave hand, worked on the farm until her young master, Robert McMurry was married. She was then sold to Rev. Carter Plaster and taken to Logan County, Kentucky. The child, Lizzie was given to young Robert. … Read more