xt7z348gfq4z https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7z348gfq4z/data/mets.xml Johnson, Isaac. 1901  books b92e444j64a319012009 English Republican & Journal Print : Ogdensburg, N.Y. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Johnson, Isaac. Slavery --Kentucky. Slaves --Kentucky --Biography. Slavery days in old Kentucky text Slavery days in old Kentucky 1901 2009 true xt7z348gfq4z section xt7z348gfq4z 
Slavery
Days
....in...,

   lb Kentucky.

...BY...

I SAAC JOHNSON, A F O R M E R S L A V E .

PRICE

25

CENTS.

  
  
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ISAAC
THE

JOHNSON
A FORMER SLAVE.

AUTHOR,

A THUS

STORY

O F A F A T H E R W H O S O U ) HIS W I F E A N D F O U R BY ONE OF T H E CHILDREN.

CHILDREN.

  
  
PREFACE.
T he present generation knows but l ittle o f actual s lavery. A t t e m p t s are sometimes made to color the I nstitution t o make i t appear as though the old days of A m e r i c a n s lavery were patriarchal days to be desired, t o surround the Institution w i t h a g lamour as though i t p ossessed g reat i ntrinsic m erits of value to both r aces. B u t we believe that any system of human s lavery i s always degrading both to the master and the s lave. T h e hardships of m y slave life were nothing i n c omparison w i t h m any, and the f o l l o w i n g p ages o f m y a ctual e xperience as a slave are given, not f o r the p urpose of casting reflections upon those who favored t he Institution, but to give to the w o r l d a knowledge o f the subject that no e loquence m ay ever make the s ame t h i n g a gain possible.
THE AUTHOR.

D ated S eptember, 1901.

  
  
INDEX.
C hapter I, In the Beginning, C hapter II, The A u c t i o n Sale, C hapter III, My New Home, . . . PAGE 7 9 11 16 18 . . . . 26 35 38

C hapter I V , A t Home with Mistress, C hapter V , H i r e d O ut, C hapter V I , Bob, the Canadian,

C hapter V I I , The Years of 1859 and 1860, C hapter V I I I , F u l l M anhood at Last,

  
  
S LAVERY D A Y S I N OLD KENTUCKY.
C H A P T E R I.
IN T H E BEGINNING.

S o many p eople h ave inquired as to the particulars o f m y slave l i f e and seemingly listened to the same w ith i nterest, that I have concluded to give the story i n t his f o r m . I w as born in the State of K e n t u c k y i n 1844. W h e n I f irst c ame t o a knowledge of myself I was a c hild l i v i n g w i t h m y parents on a f a r m located on the banks o f Green r i v e r in my n ative State. T h e f a m i l y at that t ime c onsisted of m y father, R i c h a r d Yeager, my m other, Jane, an older brother, L o u i s , a y ounger b rother, A m b r o s e , and later on another brother, E ddie. I was next to L o u i s i n age. H e r e we lived a h appy and contented f a m i l y , and prosperous beyond m ost of the farmers i n that section of the State. For r easons that w i l l a ppear b efore t he end is reached m y s ur-name is the maiden name of m y mother. A s I l ook back to m y b oyhood d ays I can see that m y m other was an intelligent woman, considering her s tation i n l ife, a nd i t is f r o m her, and my paternal u ncles in after years, I learned as to m y ancestry. M y g randfather was an I r i s h m a n , named G riffin Y eager, and his brothers were e ngaged i n the v i l l a i n ous vocation of the Slave Trade. T h e i r business was t o steal n egroes f r o m A f r i c a o r wherever they could

  
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set t hem and s ell t hem as slaves i n the U n i t e d States. M y m other was stolen by these p eople f r o m the island o f Madagascar i n the year 1840. She was brought to A m e r i c a a nd given to m y grandfather who concluded s he would make a g ood s ervant. H e g ave h er the n ame of Jane and kept her t i l l he died, w h i c h was s oon a fter. B y t he terms of grandfather's w i l l , J ane was b equeathed to his eldest son R i c h a r d , commonly known as D i c k Yeager. D i c k also received by the w i l l o ther p ersonal p r o p e r t y , and, equipped w i t h c ows, s heep, h orses and s ome f a r m i n g utensils, he t ook J ane and m oved o nto t he f a r m referred to on G r e e n r i v e r . H e u sed Jane i n a l l respects as a wife and she, in her i nnocence, supposed she was such. I w e l l remember t heir l ittle h ouse. I t was about twenty f eet b y sixteen w ith a n ine f oot c eiling. I t had only one outside d oor a nd t wo windows. T h e house was divided into two r ooms, a kitchen and bed room. A fireplace occupied a p art of one end, the foundation being large flat s tones on which the cooking was d one. T h e i r f u r n i t u r e w as l i m i t e d as well as their cooking utensils, but these w ere sufficient for their wants, and on the whole i t w as a happy home. T h e y at first had no neighbors n earer than ten miles. T h e y worked together in h armony, she t a k i n g the lead i n the house and he in the f ield, w here she often assisted h i m . T h e first year t hey raised such vegetables as they needed but these b rought no money. T h e y then commenced raising t obacco a nd h ogs. T h e i r first c rop o f t obacco b rought t hem $1600 i n cash, but the h ogs a l l died. T h e y were so encouraged by the t obacco c rop t hat they devoted a ll t heir energy to this product thereafter, and i n t ime t hey b ecame t he leading t obacco g rowers. Other p eople s oon c ame as neighbors, n one o f whom owned

  
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s laves.

T h e new c omers d isapproved of

and freely

t alked a bout Yeager and his manner of l i v i n g w ith a s lave and r aising c hildren by her. T h i s t alk r esulted Yeager i n s ocial ostracism of the Yeager f a m i l y notwithstanding he was more prosperous than any of them. l eave that part of the country. c hildren w ere aged as follows: E d d i e w as two. t he horses f elt t he social cut keenly and concluded to s ell o ut and H e accordingly adverA t this time his L o u i s was nine years H e retained Here tised h is f a r m and stock f o r sale.

o f age, Isaac (myself) was seven, A m b r o s e five and T h e sale t ook p lace. w h i c h were taken to the New Orleans

m arket, l eaving the f a m i l y d u r i n g his absence.

w e remained w a i t i n g patiently his r eturn, t i l l a bout t wo months thereafter, when the sheriff c ame a nd t ook us a l l to B a r d s t o w n i n Nelson county, about two days j ourney eastward, and here we were placed in the n egro pen for the night.

C H A P T E R II.
THE AUCTION SALE.

T h e next m o r n i n g , to our astonishment, a crowd g athered and t ook t urns e x a m i n i n g us. W h a t i t a l l m eant we could not imagine t i l l L o u i s was led out a bout ten o 'clock, p laced on the auction block and the a uctioneer cried out: " H o w much do I hear for this n i g g e r ? " A l l o w me to say here, i t was only the v ulgar a nd low whites who used the t e r m " n i g g e r , ' ' t he better classes always spoke of us as n egroes o r colored f olks. T he auctioneer continued his c r y for bids and L o u i s was at last sold for eight hundred dollars. B y t his t ime we had taken in the situation, and it seemed as though m y mother's heart would break. Such

  
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d espair I h ope I

m ay never

again witness.

We

c hildren k new something t e r r i b l e was being d one, b ut w ere not old enough to f u l l y u nderstand. T hen t he auctioneer called for Isaac and I was led o ut, the auctioneer saying, " T i m e is precious, gentlemen, I must s ell t hem a l l b efore n ight ; how much do I h ear for this nigger? " "Yes, W e were instructed b efore I was asked if I had ever H e then for h and t hat we must answer a l l questions put to us b y s i r , " and " N o , s i r . " b een w hipped, or sick, or had had the toothache, and s imilar q uestions to a l l of which I answered. c ried f or bids. T h e first bid was four hundred dollars.

T h i s was gradually raised u ntil I was struck off w ho c ame f o r w a r d and said: b oy, y o u belong to m e . " g o and see m y m o t h e r . " "Come m other's h e l p . "

s even hundred dollars, and sold to W i l l i a m M a d i n g l a y , " C o m e along w i t h m e, " L e t me I said to h i m :

H e answered me crossly:

along w i t h m e, I w i l l t rain y o u without y o u r I was taken one side and chained to I remained

a p ost as though I had b een a h orse. T h e next one sold was A m b r o s e . h im, a nd

h itched t o this p ost t i l l l ate in the afternoon. I could not see b ut I could hear the auctioneer c r y i n g for bids m y l ittle f our year old brother was sold for five

h undred d ollars to W i l l i a m M u r p h y . T he next to be set up was m y mother and our l ittle b aby boy E d d i e . T o the c r y for bids no one responded B u t s ome o ne called out: Then the c r y was : "Put "How baby?" f or s ome t ime and it looked for awhile that they were t o e scape b eing sold. t hem up separately."

m uch do I hear for the woman without the

T he first bid was eight hundred dollars, and (his was g radually r aised t i l l she was sold f o r eleven hundred d ollars.

  
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T h e next sale was of E d d i e , m y l ittle b rother whom w e a l l loved so much, he was sold f o r two hundred d ollars, t o one J o h n H u n t e r . T h u s , in a very short t ime, o ur happy f a m i l y was scattered, without even t he privilege of saying " G o o d by " to each other, and n ever again to c oncerned. be seen, at least so f a r as I was

C H A P T E R III.
MY NEW HOME.

L a t e i n the afternoon m y new master put me into a w agon and t ook m e over v e r y rough and h i l l y r oads to h is h ome a bout five miles distant, on a f a r m located on t he bank of Beech F o r k r iver. W e reached this h ome o f W i l l i a m M a d i n g l a y about ten o 'clock a t night. H i s w ife, one c hild, a nd P e t e r , a slave, constituted his f a m i l y , a nd I made one more. O n r eaching the place, M a d i n g l a y called l o u d l y : "Peter!" T h i s i n d i v i d u a l s oon a ppeared, saving: " Y e s , s ir, M a s t e r ! " H e was then asked: ' ' H a v e y o u put i n feed for the horses? " " Y e s , s ir, M a s t e r ! " T u r n i n g t o me he s aid: " C o m e along w ith m e . " W e went to the kitchen and there we met his wife a t t he d oor w hen she asked: " W h a t have y o u there, William? " H i s a nswer was: " O h , I have a l ittle b oy here for you." " I n d e e d , y o u have a b r i g h t l ittle f e l l o w , " she replied. H e t hen s aid: " T h i s is one of the Y e a g e r niggers w o saw advertised f o r sale at a u c t i o n . " " I d eclare he is not a v e r y dark colored one."

  
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w ife, he isn't, y o u see he is one of

those

p u m p k i n seed niggers f r o m the mountains." " O h B i l l ! w hat makes y o u talk that way? I t h i n k he w i l l m ake a g ood s e r v a n t . " H i s r e p l y was: " 1 reckon he w i l l w hen he g ets (He t hat b lack snake around h i m a couple of t i m e s . " r eferred to the raw hide whip.) " W i l l i a m , I h ope he w i l l n ot need that at a l l , 1 d on't t h i n k he is as stupid as P e t e r . " "Oh w ell, M a r g a r e t , I don't m i n d if he is stupid, I c an t rain h i m , there is nothing l i k e t he black snake f o r s tnpidness." I h ad never heard such talk b efore, a nd I h u n g m y h ead and began to c r y when she said: M aster t hen commanded: O h B i l l , d on't s care the boy to death, I think he w i l l be a g ood b oy. " S t a n d up there and s traighten u p, let y o u r Mistress see what k i n d o f a b oy you are, she hasn't half seen y o u y e t . " S he brought a lamp f r o m the shelf and carefully l ooked me over, after which she said: " O h what a n ice l ittle l ad, and what a nice suit he has o n ! " " O h y es, wife, up on the mountains they don't know h ow to work the niggers, but I w i l l t each him how to w ork. t hat ! T h e idea of a nigger w ith, a s uit on him l i k e W a i t t i l l I g et a suit on h i m , I ' l l show h i m how " W h a t is y o u r name?" Take off y o u r hat, p u t

to w o r k . " S he then asked: " I saac," I answered. " T h a t ' s a n ice l ittle n ame. i t on the chair and sit down in the c o r n e r . " I t ook off my hat and c oat a nd looked for a place to h ang t hem, as I had been accustomed to do i n our o l d h ome, but found none. I l aid t hem on the l ittle b undle I h ad w ith m e and walked over to the corner of the

  
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fireplace a nd sat on the floor. P e t e r came i n and M aster a sked: " H a v e y o u got y o u r chores a l l d one?" " Y e s , s ir, M a s t e r . " " D i d y o u go to the m i l l t o-day? " " Y e s , s ir, M a s t e r . " " D i d y o u b r i n g a load of meal home ! " " Y e s , s ir, M a s t e r . " " I s there plenty of wood at the s t i l l ? " " Y e s , sir, M a s t e r . " " D o y o u know if they are going to g r i n d tomorrow?" " Y e s , s ir, M a s t e r , dey's going to g r i n d t o m o r r o w . " A f t e r M a s t e r and his wife had eaten t h e i r supper, w hich c onsisted of mush and m i l k , s he brought us a p an o f the same f o r our supper, after which M a s t e r s aid: " P e t e r , this is a l ittle n igger who is to help y o u in y o u r w o r k , he is green, but y o u must teach him." M istress then brought an old q uilt s aying : " T h i s i s a q uilt f or y o u r bed tonight, y o u and Peter c an s leep together, he w i l l s how y o u . " P eter a lso had an old q uilt, w e l aid o ne down and t ook the other for a cover, our bed being the floor. O h , w hat a change! The sight of P e t e r set me n early c razy. A l l he wore was a long tow s hirt, a c loth c ap and no shoes. I t did not take h i m long to t u r n i n as he had nothing to take off. I took off m y s hoes, socks, pants and coat, and then looked around t o see what he had for a p i l l o w and found he had none, b ut was curled up l ike a s nake. I sat there for hours t h i n k i n g o f my mother, brothers and father u ntil I was nearly w i l d w ith t he change that had c ome, c hanged f r o m a happy home to be used l ike a d og, and a p r e t t y mean one at that. I wondered if I should e ver see m y people again. I l ittle d reamed then what I a fterwards learned, that my own father had brought a ll t his change to us, that we were sold by his orders

  
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a nd t he three thousand three hundred dollars we were s old for wont into his pockets less the e xpenses of the s ale. H e had sold his own flesh and blood. T h a t is what A m e r i c a n s lavery made possible. T h a t is the " D i v i n e i n s t i t u t i o n " w e have heard so much about, the cornerstone of the proposed Confederacy. Is it any wonder the S outherners were defeated w i t h s uch an incubus around t heir n ecks, dragging them down to a condition lower t han t heir slaves, m a k i n g them human demons! Do y o u wonder that when freedom c ame t o me I preferred t he maiden name of m y sainted mother to the name of m y father ? I n m y ignorance of the true situation I m ourned for h i m i n common w i t h m y mother and b rothers, and sat t h r o u g h that night bewildered, u n t i l t ired n ature forced me to lie down. I t ook m y l ittle b undle for a p i l l o w , wrapped the quilt about me, not t o sleep but rather to dream and wonder what terrible t h i n g h ad happened to m y dear father, as I then t hought of h i m , to b r i n g a l l this misfortune upon us. I t ried to c onsole m yself w i t h t he thought that there m ust be s ome h ereafter when we could a l l m eet a gain s ometime. T h e night wore away at last but I had had n o rest. T h e n I heard the m o u r n f u l v oice o f M a s t e r calling: " P e t e r , Peter, are y o u awake? " " Y e s , sir, M a s t e r . " " M a k e the fire i n the kitchen and i n h e r e . " " Y e s , sir, M a s t e r . " " B r i n g I saac, the l a d , and show h i m what to d o . " " Y e s , s ir, M a s t e r . " " T a k e h i m w i t h y o u to do the chores." " Y e s , s ir, M a s t e r . " " P e t e r t hen told me to b r i n g s ome w ater w h i l e he s plit s ome w ood f or the Mistress. I asked where I w ould get the water. H e s aid: " See dat tree down dare ?"

  
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I s aid " Y e s . " H e s aid, ' ' Y o u go to dat tree, when y o u get dare y o u see nuther tree uther side dat tree, and when y o u g et dare y o u ' l l see l ittle g rass uther side dat tree, and u ther s ide dat grass dare is big hole and dat is whare d e water i s . " I w ent but f a i l e d to find " d e b i g h o l e , " and he u pbraided m e, s a y i n g : " Y o u nice nigger! can't fin d at w ell w hen i t ' s bin dare long while, l o n g f ore I c oined here and y o u can't fin i t ! " H e t ook t he p a i l a nd showed me the w e l l . After w e returned he asked: " D o y o u t i n k y o u can fin dat w ell now? " I s aid, " I thought I c o u l d , " and he sent me for a nother p a i l f u l w hile he carried i n the w ood a fter w hich w e were to have something to eat. W e went into the house and Mistress asked : ' ' P e t e r , h ave you d one a l l the chores ? " " Y e s , m a m ! " s a i d P e t e r , and we then sat on the Moor, P eter i n one corner of the fireplace and I in the o ther; here we sat u ntil M a s t e r and Mistress had finished t heir b reakfast when she brought us our mush a nd m i l k o nce m ore. M aster t hen c ame a nd s aid, " P e t e r ! " " Y e s , s ir, M a s t e r . " ' ' H a v e you finished y o u r breakfast? " " Y e s , s ir, M a s t e r . " " G o and h itch u p the mules and b r i n g them ready t o put on the grists for the m i l l . " W e o beyed a nd t he mules were loaded w i t h t hree sacks of corn on each e xcept t wo that carried only two sacks each, these last w ere to be ridden and the others were to be led.

  
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CHAPTER
AT HOME WITH

IV.
MISTRESS.

M aster a nd Peter went w ith t he mules and I was left t o help Mistress do the washing. I was pleased w ith t his a rrangement as I l i k e d h er better than the Master. S he, w i s h i n g to learn m y s k i l l as a washer, g ave m e f irst t he baby's soiled clothes, these I cleaned to her s atisfaction; s he then g ave m e Master's clothes which I a lso washed and then she g ave me her own clothes, a ll of which pleased her. She then asked i f I could i ron? I told her I would t r y . The clothes were dried a nd b rought i n and I ironed all of them. She was k i n d t o me and complimented m y work s a y i n g : "You h ave d one v e r y w e l l , m y boy, and now y o u may sit d own and r e s t . " I sat down, but not to rest. T h e moment I stopped w o r k i n g a g reat grief c ame t o me so overpowering I c ould not conceal m y feelings and I began to cry. S he asked me k i n d l y : " W h a t is the matter, Isaac? " I t old her, " I wanted to see m y m a m m a . " S he tried to pacify me b y saying: " D o n ' t c r y and f ret about that, Isaac, y o u w i l l see y o u r mother again, M sister w i l l b u y her and the rest of them sometime." I a sked: "Why b ought me? " didn't he buy them when he

S he r e p l i e d : " M y boy, never m i n d about that, y o u r mother w i l l b e sold again s oon a nd y o u w i l l be t ogether o nce m o r e . " I a sked: " W h o bought her?" H e r r e p l y was: " Never m i n d who bought her, y o u m ust not ask questions about such things, not a q uestion, m y w o r d is l a w . " S oon thereafter M a s t e r and Peter returned; on entering t he house Master asked: " W e l l , Margaret, h ow did y o u get along w i t h t he lad ?"

  
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S he informed h i m that I had d one n icely and that I was a g ood l ittle w orker. H i s next i n q u i r y was: '    H a v e y o u taught h i m how to talk? " " N o , " s he replied, " b u t h e'll l earn without any trouble." " T h a t ' s t he next t h i n g he must l e a r n , " he said and t hen he called i n a loud commanding tone: "Isaac, c ome h ere! " " A l l r i g h t , " I answered. I n a n angry v oice he said: " A l l r i g h t ? is that the w ay .you answer y o u r Master? W h e n I t ell y o u to ' come h ere' I want y o u to say, ' Yes, sir, M a s t e r , ' N o w I ' l l t r y y o u o nce m ore; Isaac, c ome h e r e . " 1 was frightened and again said, " A l l r i g h t . " H e w as angry. H e t ook up t he whip and said : " I s a a c , y o u nigger y o u , if y o u don't t a l k to me as you o ught to I s hall use this black snake on y o u . When I c all y o u , y o u must say, 'yes, sir, M a s t e r , ' and to y o u r Mistress y o u must say, 'yes, M a d a m , ' and don't y o u ever let me hear y o u say ' a l l r i g h t ' to a white m an, a nd when y o u m eet a w hite man always take off y our hat and say ' y e s , s i r , ' or ' n o , s i r , ' and stand to o ne side t i l l he passes. Remember what I have told y o u or I s hall t r y the black snake on y o u r back. N o w g o and help Peter do the chores." I w ent, but y o u can imagine w i t h w hat a heavy h eart. H a d i t not been f or the h ope o f again seeing m y mother and brothers, I w o u l d gladly have l aid d own to die. W h y should I be treated in this way: a nd s till t his was but the beginning of m y new e xperiences. I helped Peter about the barn, after w hich w e returned to the h ouse f o r supper. W e were a llowed only two meals a day and mush and m i l k w ere n ot v e r y lasting. A f t e r supper, w h i c h was about 5:30 o 'clock, P eter and I were sent to the corn crib to shell

  
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c orn which was d one b y beating the ears w i t h s ticks v ery much the shape of hockey clubs. W e were r equired t o work at this t i l l a bout ten o 'clock a t n i g h t d u r i n g t he winter, as long as the corn lasted. A s s oon as s p r i n g came we were employed i n c u l t i vating t he l and, p l o w i n g , sowing, p l a n t i n g and hoeing. D u r i n g t his season of the year new hands were brought i n e very few days. One of these new hands was c alled " J i m . " A f ew days later there were among those brought in a woman and her c hild, s he was " A m e l i a , " a nd her c h i l d w as called " L u c y . " A f t e r t he regular w o r k was finished on the f a r m we w ere then set to clearing new l and. A m e l i a was the c ook a nd she had been there but a short time when s he and the Mistress f e l l o ut. A m e l i a , t o get even w ith t he Mistress, put turpentine i n the breakfast f ood, t h i n k i n g i t w o u l d poison the f a m i l y ; i t didn't, h owever, but it made us a l l sick. T h e next day two m en came and took A m e l i a a way and left her c hild. W h a t b ecame o f her we never knew but her c h i l d w as s ent to a neighbor's. I n a few days Master purchased a nother woman to take the place of A m e l i a , b y the n ame of A n n a , a nd harvesting the various crops c ommenced. CHAPTER V.
HIRED OUT.

T he harvesting was f inally a l l d one a nd the f irst d ay o f .January, 1853, had a r r i v e d . T h e f irst o f J a n u a r y was the time when local sales and h i r i n g t ook place. M y s e l f , J i m and Peter were among those to be h i r e d o ut and we were taken to Bardstown for this purpose. O u r s ervices for the year were sold at auction. J i m w as sold for the year for $150, Peter for $125 and I

  
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was sold for $100. T h e c ook, A n n a , was taken along a nd s old outright to the slave dealers, and that was t he last we knew of her. P e t e r and J i m were hired b y one M i l l e r , a f armer on the C o l u m b i a r i v e r , and I was hired to one Yates, a store keeper in H a r t c ounty. H i s store was near the M a m m o t h cave, a round w h i c h at that time was a wilderness. H i s f a m i l y c onsisted of himself, his wife, two sons, a w oman slave and myself. M y w o r k was to do the c hores about the house and r u n o n ' e r r a n d s to the s tore, which was about a mile distant. I had a f a i r l y e asy time here, m y hardest w o r k being to c a r r y water f r o m the c ave t o the house, the distance being about a m ile. I h ad a yoke which l aid a cross m y shoulders, a t each end were hooks so I could c a r r y two pails at o nce. T o get the water I had to enter the c ave a nd d escend about t h i r t y f eet. I was always afraid when I e ntered the c ave b ecause p eople t old a l l manner of s tories about i t , saying that there were a l l kinds of d evils a nd animals l i v i n g i n there who just delighted i n c atching colored p eople a nd k i l l i n g t hem. I m anaged, so far as I could, to go to the c ave w hen t he sun was shining b r i g h t so that I could see m y way c learly t o r u n if a d e v i l appeared. T h e two s ons o f t he M a s t e r were v e r y mischievous, and when they l earned h ow afraid I was they would go each Sunday a nd b u i l d a fire inside the c ave a nd then send me for w ater. W h e n I entered the c ave a nd saw the fire I was sure i t was the d e v i l , and would r u n screaming at t he top of m y v oice m uch to their amusement. They w o u l d then go back w i t h m e and enter the cave, by w hich t ime the fire would be out, and they would t hen a ccuse m e of l y i n g a bout seeing the d e v i l . This o ccurred so often that M a s t e r b ecame s uspicious. He a sked why i t was the devils only appeared on S u n d a y -

  
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T h i s I c ould not explain. H e concluded to investigate f or himself, and. the next Sunday went w i t h m e and c aught the b oys b u i l d i n g the fire, and that ended the s tories of devils being in the c ave a nd I had no more t rouble. I remained at this place t i l l C hristmas, w hen we were given a week's holiday, and on the first o f J a n u a r y , 1854, I was sent to m y Master's brother, h is n ame was James M a d i n g l a y . I remained w ith h i m t wo months. H e was the meanest k i n d of a slave h older. H e had two slaves, a g i r l a nd a boy. He d rank v ery hard and seldom left his room on account o f his being too d r u n k to do so. H e would order the s laves to his room and whip them u n m e r c i f u l l y without a ny cause or provocation. H i s son was equally as mean as he, he would watch the slaves, and if he saw one idle, o nly for a moment, he would i n f o r m his father and that m eant, every time, a severe w h i p p i n g . W e were to h usk c orn one m o r n i n g d u r i n g the h u s k i n g season, but i t r ained so very hard that Ave d i d not start at o nce f o r t he crib. F o r this delay, M a s t e r called us a l l i n to be p unished. I s tood by and saw h i m w h i p the other b oy severely. I knew m y t u r n w o u l d c ome n ext, and I s tarted on the r u n for h ome as hard as I could r u n , n ot stopping t i l l I r eached there. Mistress saw me a nd w ished to know m y reasons for m y appearance. I t old her what had taken place and she said i t was " a l l r i g h t , stay here t i l l y o u r M a s t e r c omes h o m e . " 1 d idn't know what M a s t e r w o u l d say or do, but w hen he c ame I t old him a l l about i t . H e listened quietly t i l l 1 w as through, and then said: " I t is a l l r i g h t this t ime, I saac, as I have rented my f a r m for f o u r years a nd s old y o u to m y brother, J o h n , who lives on the B eech F o r k r i v e r , about six miles f r o m here ; he is not a t h ome n ow but w i l l be i n a few days, so y o u can ' b a c k ' y o u r things and I w i l l t ake y o u there in the m o r n i n g . "

  
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I f elt v e r y w ell s atisfied w i t h t he result and s a i d : " I h ave nothing to ' back ' as a l l I have is on m y back a n d I c an go a n y t i m e . " T he n ext m o r n i n g we went to his brother J o h n ' s farm. T here was no one there except the overseer a nd a n old negro woman. T h e overseer's name was S teward, a nd he had been engaged to manage what was called " an i m p r o v e d stock f a r m . " I n a feAv d ays m y n ew M aster s ent to the f a r m a fine l o o k i n g slave g i r l , a n octoroon, she was to take charge as stewardess. M aster h ad won her at a game of poker in St. L o u i s . T h i s g i r l he kept f o r his own use, and she was made M istress o f the stock f a r m . B y stock i t w i l l b e u nderstood i s meant negro slaves. T he s tock soon began to a rrive, t here was a negro w ith a c ouple of brood mares, then came J i m and P eter, t hen two males, then three women, then about t he first o f A p r i l J o h n M a d i n g l a y m ade his appearance w ith a g roup of twenty, m a k i n g t h i r t y s laves a l l t old. T here w ere also brought onto the f a r m , f a r m i n g u tensils, m ules, ten horses, t h i r t y h ead of cattle, one h undred h ogs a nd fifty s heep. H e owned one thousand a cres of l and, b ut most of i t was covered w i t h b rush or b ushes. H e raised the u sual f a r m p roducts and when t hese d i d not require attention Ave w ere set to w o r k c learing t he l and. H e had agents out i n the country b u y i n g s laves and f o w a r d i n g them to the f a r m , a nd s oon there were one hundred and twenty slaves on the f arm. A f t e r h arvesting, the surplus negroes were sent t o the Southern markets at G r a n d G u l f , J a c k s o n and V i c k s b u r g , a t each of A vhich p laces he had slave pens. T he t ime of the removal Avas k ept secret f r o m the s laves, a nd about ten o 'clock t he night before, twelve m en w ere sent into the cabins and these hand-cuffed the m ales. I n the m o r n i n g these were brought out b y

  
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t wos and fastened to a chain about f o r t y or fifty f eet Ion?-. T h e women and children not able to w a l k were p acked into wagons and the line of march commenced, t he chained men f irst, t he women able to walk next, a nd t he wagons brought up the rear. A beautiful s ight f or a country that boasts of its freedom! How t he boasted Southern c h i v a l r y must have delighted in s uch s ights, delighted i n them so greatly they were r eady to go to war to preserve the " sacred i nstitution'' o f human slavery! I have tasted its sacredness and f elt t hat its D i v i n i t y i s d evilish. T he line of march w as to N ashville w here they were placed aboard of l>oats a nd taken to the different slave pens. T h e pens were divided into groups, women i n one, m en in another, g irls a nd y o u n g b oys b y themselves. H e r e t he buyers c ame a nd examined the stock, feeling o f them as men do horses, l o o k i n g into their mouths a nd e yes a nd asked questions as to sickness. Then the s ales commenced and were held f r o m November t i l l a bout the f irst o f M a r c h , d u r i n g which time the agents w ere scouring the country, p i c k i n g up new stock and f o r w a r d i n g t he same to the market. A f t e r the f irst o f M a r c h , i f there were any unsold, they were taken b ack to the stock f a r m to w o r k d u r i n g the summer a nd s hipped w i t h t he next lot ready for market. T h e year 1857 was at hand. F i f t e e n slaves had b een left on the f a r m to do the winter w o r k . These w ere kept busy h u s k i n g and shelling corn, t a k i n g s ame to the m i l l , t hen to the d i s t i l l e r y a nd made i n t o l iquor. T h a t year of 1857 there were f r o m five to six h undred b arrels of liquor made and stored in the cellar. M a s t e r a t this time was about s i x t y years of age and h e m a r r i e d a g i r l a bout seventeen. H e returned to the f arm w i t h h is y o u n g wife, twelve slaves besides the s tewardess, named Rosa, and trouble s oon b egan.

  
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R osa w as w ell f itted for her position and she had a g eneral o versight of a l l the slaves. She was an o ctoroon a nd had the confidence of M a s t e r who trusted h er to the utmost. N ew s laves were brought i n every few days and these w ere set to w o r k d u r i n g t he summer, clearing l and w hen there was no other w o r k , t heir h ours of labor b eing f r o m 16 to 18 each day. T he slaves were divided into gangs, and over each g ang was a Boss, who was also one of the slaves. At f our o 'clock e ach m o r n i n g , the b ell w as r u n g a nd each B oss had to see tha