Black Genealogy

Slave Narrative of John H. Gibson

Interviewer: Anna Pritchett Person Interviewed: John Henry Gibson Location: Indiana Place of Birth: Scott County, N. C. Place of Residence: Colton Street Federal Writers’ Project of the W.P.A. District #6 Marion County Anna Pritchett 1200 Kentucky Avenue FOLKLORE JOHN HENRY GIBSON-EX-SLAVE Colton Street John Henry Gibson was born a slave, many years ago, in Scott County, N.C. His old master, John Henry Bidding, was a wealthy farmer; he also owned the hotel, or rooming house. When court was in session the “higher ups” would come to this house, and stay until the court affairs were settled. Mr. Bidding, who was … Read more

Slave Narrative of George Fortman

Interviewer: Lauana Creel Person Interviewed: George Fortman Location: Evansville, Indiana Place of Residence: Cor. Bellemeade Ave. and Garvin St. Evansville, Indiana Occupation: Professor of faith in Christ, Janitor Ex-Slave Stories District 5 Vanderburgh County Lauana Creel INDIANS MADE SLAVES AMONG THE NEGROES. INTERVIEWS WITH GEORGE FORTMAN Cor. Bellemeade Ave. and Garvin St. Evansville, Indiana, and other interested citizens “The story of my life, I will tell to you with sincerest respect to all and love to many, although reviewing the dark trail of my childhood and early youth causes me great pain.” So spoke George Fortman, an aged man and … Read more

Slave Narrative of John W. Fields

Interviewer: Cecil Miller Person Interviewed: John W. Fields Location: Lafayette, Indiana Place of Birth: Owensburg, KY Date of Birth: March 27, 1848 Age: 89 Place of Residence: N. 20th St., Lafayette, Indiana Cecil C. Miller Dist. #3 Tippecanoe Co. INTERVIEW WITH MR. JOHN W. FIELDS, EX-SLAVE OF CIVIL WAR PERIOD September 17, 1937 John W. Fields, 2120 North Twentieth Street, Lafayette, Indiana, now employed as a domestic by Judge Burnett is a typical example of a fine colored gentleman, who, despite his lowly birth and adverse circumstances, has labored and economized until he has acquired a respected place in his … Read more

Slave Narrative of Rev. Wamble

Interviewer: Archie Koritz Person Interviewed: Rev. Wamble Location: Gary, Indiana Place of Birth: Monroe County, Mississippi, Date of Birth: 1859 Place of Residence: 1827 Madison Street, Gary, Indiana Occupation: Wagon-maker Archie Koritz, Field Worker Federal Writers’ Project Porter County-District #1 Valparaiso, Indiana EX-SLAVES REV. WAMBLE 1827 Madison Street Gary, Indiana [TR: above ‘Wamble’ in handwriting is ‘Womble’] Rev. Wamble was born a slave in Monroe County, Mississippi, in 1859. The Westbrook family owned many slaves in charge of over-seers who managed the farm, on which there were usually two hundred or more slaves. One of the Westbrook daughters married a … Read more

Slave Narrative of Sarah C. Colbert

Interviewer: Anna Pritchett Person Interviewed: Sarah Colbert Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Place of Birth: Allen County, Kentucky Date of Birth: 1855 Place of Residence: 1505 North Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana Federal Writers’ Project of the W.P.A. District #6 Marion County Anna Pritchett 1200 Kentucky Avenue FOLKLORE MRS. SARAH COLBERT-EX-SLAVE 1505 North Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana Mrs. Sarah Carpenter Colbert was born in Allen County, Kentucky in 1855. She was owned by Leige Carpenter, a farmer. Her father, Isaac Carpenter was the grandson of his master, Leige Carpenter, who was very kind to him. Isaac worked on the farm until the old … Read more

Slave Narrative of George Thompson

Interviewer: William R. Mays Person Interviewed: George Thompson Location: Franklin, Indiana Place of Birth: Monroe County, Kentucky Date of Birth: Oct. 8, 1854 Place of Residence: 651 North Young St., Franklin, Indiana William R. Mays Dist. No. 4 Johnson Co. Aug. 2, 1937 SLAVERY DAYS OF GEORGE THOMPSON My name is George Thompson, I was born in Monroe County, Kentucky near the Cumberland river Oct. 8, 1854, on the Manfred Furgeson plantation, who owned about 50 slaves. Mister Furgerson [TR: before, Furgeson] was a preacher and had three daughters and was kind to his slaves. I was quite a small … Read more

Slave Narrative of Harriet Cheatam

Interviewer: Anna Pritchett Person Interviewed: Harriet Cheatam Location: Indiana Place of Birth: Gallatin, Tennessee Date of Birth: December 25, 1843 Age: 94 Place of Residence: 816 Darnell Street Federal Writers’ Project of the W.P.A. District #8 Marion County Anna Pritchett 1200 Kentucky Avenue FOLKLORE MRS. HARRIET CHEATAM-EX-SLAVE 816 Darnell Street Interviewer’s Comment Incidents in the life of Mrs. Cheatam as she told them to me. Interview “I was born, in 1843, in Gallatin, Tennessee, 94 years ago this coming (1937) Christmas day.” “Our master, Martin Henley, a farmer, was hard on us slaves, but we were happy in spite of … Read more

Slave Narrative of James Childress

Interviewer: Lauana Creel Person Interviewed: James Childress Location: Evansville, Indiana Place of Birth: Nashville, Tennessee Date of Birth: 1860 Place of Residence: 312 S.E. Fifth Street, Evansville, Indiana Ex-Slave stories District #5 Vanderburgh County Lauana Creel JAMES CHILDRESS’ STORY 312 S.E. Fifth Street, Evansville, Indiana From an interview with James Childress and from John Bell both living at 312 S.E. Fifth Street, Evansville, Indiana. Known as Uncle Jimmy by the many children that cluster about the aged man never tiring of his stories of “When I was chile.” “When I was a chile my daddy and mamma was slaves and … Read more

Slave Narrative of Jack Simms

G. Monroe Dist. 4 Jefferson County Interviewer: G. Monroe Person Interviewed: Jack Simms Location: Madison, Indiana Place of Birth: Kentucky SLAVE STORY MR. JACK SIMMS’ STORY Personal Interview Mr. Simms was born and raised on Mill Creek Kentucky, and now lives in Madison Indiana on Poplar Street diagonally North West of the hospital. He was so young he did no remember very much about how the slaves were treated, but seemed to regret very much that he had been denied the privilege of an education. Mr. Simms remembers seeing the lines of soldiers on the Campbellsburg road, but referred to … Read more

Slave Narrative of Chaney Mayer

Interviewer: Anna Pritchett Person Interviewed: Belle Butler Location: Indiana Federal Writers’ Project of the W.P.A. District #6 Marion County Anna Pritchett 1200 Kentucky Avenue FOLKLORE MRS. BELLE BUTLER-DAUGHTER [of Chaney Mayer] 829 North Capitol Avenue Interviewer’s Comment Belle Butler, the daughter of Chaney Mayer, tells of the hardships her mother endured during her days of slavery. Interview Chaney was owned by Jesse Coffer, “a mean old devil.” He would whip his slaves for the slightest misdemeanor, and many times for nothing at all-just enjoyed seeing them suffer. Many a time Jesse would whip a slave, throw him down, and gouge … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mary Crane

Interviewer: Emery Turner Person Interviewed: Mrs. Mary Crane Location: Mitchell, Indiana Place of Residence: Warren St., Mitchell, Ind. Date of Birth: 1855 Mrs. Mary Crane I was born on the farm of Wattie Williams, in 1855 and am eighty-two years old. I came to Mitchell, Indiana, about fifty years ago with my husband, who is now dead and four children and have lived here ever since. I was only a girl, about five or six years old when the Civil War broke out but I can remember very well, happenings of that time. My mother was owned by Wattie Williams, … Read more

Slave Narrative of Thomas Ash

Interviewer: Emery Turner Person Interviewed: Thomas Ash Location: Mitchell, Indiana Date of Birth: 1856 Age: 81 Emery Turner District #5 Lawrence County Bedford, Indiana I have no way of knowing exactly how old I am, as the old Bible containing a record of my birth was destroyed by fire, many years ago, but I believe I am about eighty-one years old. If so, I must have been born sometime during the year, 1856, four years before the outbreak of the War Between The States. My mother was a slave on the plantation, or farm of Charles Ash, in Anderson county, … Read more

Slave Narrative of George W. Arnold

Interviewer: Lauana Creel Person Interviewed: George W. Arnold Location: Evansville, Indiana Place of Birth: Bedford County, Tennessee Date of Birth: April 7, 1861 Occupation: porter in a wholesale feed store This is written from an interview with each of the following: George W. Arnold, Professor W.S. Best of the Lincoln High School and Samuel Bell, all of Evansville, Indiana. George W. Arnold was born April 7, 1861, in Bedford County, Tennessee. He was the property of Oliver P. Arnold, who owned a large farm or plantation in Bedford county. His mother was a native of Rome, Georgia, where she remained … Read more

Slave Narrative of Angie Boyce

Interviewer: Wm. R. Mays Person Interviewed: Angie Boyce Location: Franklin, Indiana Place of Birth: Adair County, KY Date of Birth: March 14, 1861 Place of Residence: 498 W. Madison St., Franklin, Ind. Wm. R. Mays Dist 4 Johnson Co. ANGIE BOYCE BORN IN SLAVERY, Mar. 14, 1861 on the Breeding Plantation, Adair Co. Ky. Mrs. Angie Boyce here makes mention of facts as outlined to her by her mother, Mrs. Margaret King, deceased. Mrs. Angie Boyce was born in slavery, Mar. 14, 1861, on the Breeding Plantation, Adair County, Kentucky. Her parents were Henry and Margaret King who belonged to … Read more

Slave Narrative of Julia Bowman

Interviewer: Anna Pritchett Person Interviewed: Julia Bowman Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Place of Birth: Woodford County KY Date of Birth: 1850 Place of Residence: 1210 North West Street, Indianapolis, Indiana Federal Writers’ Project of the W.P.A. District #6 Marion County Anna Pritchett 1200 Kentucky Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana FOLKLORE MRS. JULIA BOWMAN-EX-SLAVE 1210 North West Street, Indianapolis, Indiana Mrs. Bowman was born in Woodford County, Kentucky in 1859. Her master, Joel W. Twyman was kind and generous to all of his slaves, and he had many of them. The Twyman slaves were always spoken of, as the Twyman “Kinfolks.” All slaves worked … Read more

Slave Narrative of Henry Clay Moorman

Interviewer: William R. Mays Person Interviewed: Henry Clay Moorman Location: Franklin, Indiana Place of Birth: Breckenridge County, Kentucky Date of Birth: Oct. 1, 1854 Place of Residence: 427 W. King St., Franklin, Ind. William R. Mays District 4 Johnson County HENRY CLAY MOORMAN BORN IN SLAVERY IN KENTUCKY 427 W. King St., Franklin, Ind. Henry Clay Moorman has resided in Franklin 34 years, he was born Oct. 1, 1854 in slavery on the Moorman plantation in Breckenridge County, Kentucky. Mr. Moorman relates his own personal experiences as well as those handed down from his mother. He was a boy about … Read more

Slave Narrative of Joseph William Carter

Interviewer: Lauana Creel Person Interviewed: Joseph William Carter Location: Evansville, Indiana Age: 100+ Ex-Slave Stories 5th District Vandenburgh County Lauana Creel SLAVE STORY JOSEPH WILLIAM CARTER This information was gained through an interview with Joseph William Carter and several of his daughters. The data was cheerfully given to the writer. Joseph William Carter has lived a long and, he declares, a happy life, although he was born and reared in bondage. His pleasing personality has always made his lot an easy one and his yoke seemed easy to wear. Joseph William Carter was born prior to the year 1836. His … Read more

Slave Narrative of Joseph Mosley

Interviewer: Anna Pritchett Person Interviewed: Joseph Mosley Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Place of Birth: March 15, 1853 Federal Writers’ Project of the W.P.A. District #6 Marion County Anna Pritchett 1200 Kentucky Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana FOLKLORE JOSEPH MOSLEY, EX-SLAVE 2637 Boulevard Place [TR: Also reported as Moseley in text of interview.] Joseph Mosley, one of twelve children, was born March 15, 1853, fourteen miles from Hopkinsville, Kentucky. His master, Tim Mosley, was a slave trader. He was supposed to have bought and sold 10,000 slaves. He would go from one state to another buying slaves, bringing in as many as 75 or … Read more

Slave Narrative of Ellen Cave

Interviewer: Grace Monroe Person Interviewed: Ellen Cave Location: Rising Sun, Indiana Place of Birth: Taylor County Kentucky Grace Monroe Dist. 4 Jefferson County SLAVE STORY OHIO COUNTY EX-SLAVE, MRS. ELLEN CAVE, RELATES HER EXPERIENCES Assistant editor of “The Rising Sun Recorder” furnished the following story which had appeared in the paper, March 19, 1937. Mrs. Cave was in slavery for twelve years before she was freed by the Emancipation Proclamation. When she gave her story to Aubrey Robinson she was living in a temporary garage home back of the Rising Sun courthouse having lost everything in the 1937 flood. Mrs. … Read more

Slave Narrative of Alex Woodson

Interviewer: Iris Cook Person Interviewed: Alex Woodson Location: New Albany, Indiana Place of Birth: Woodsonville, Hart County, Kentucky, Age: 80-85 Place of ResidenceL 905 E. 4th St., New Albany, Indiana Iris Cook Dist 4 Floyd Co. SLAVE STORY THE STORY OF ALEX WOODSON 905 E. 4th St. New Albany, Ind. Observation of Writer Alex Woodson is an old light skinned darkey, he looks to be between 80 and 85, it is hard to tell his age, and colored folks hardly ever do know their correct age. I visited him in his little cottage and had a long talk with him … Read more