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816 E. Fifth, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age 90
"I reckolect when the war started. I was big 'nuf to be totin' water, sweepin', feedin' chickens. I was a big chap when
it started. I went with the white chillun and watched the soldiers marchin'. The drums was playin' and the next thing
I heered, the war was gwine on. You could hear the guns just as plain. The soldiers went by just in droves from
soon of a mornin' till sundown. They said they was goin' to head off the Yankees. Dis fore the war ended I heered
em say they was gwine to free the colored folks. That was in Mississippi.
"My old master was Jin Smith and old mistress' name was Louisa Smith.
"I had many a whip put on me. When they wasn't whippin' me the chillun was. They whipped my mother and
everybody.
"My brother Lewis went plum through the war till surrender. He waited on a Rebel soldier -- cooked and washed for
him. I never did see no white Yankee soldiers but I seed the colored soldiers with the blue suits. I stood out many a
night and day and heered them guns.
"Jim Smith had near bout a hundred head of colored folks on his place. He didn't go to war -- he just seed that all
the white women had plenty to eat while their men folks was away.
"My mother was sold away from my father long 'fore I was born. He used to come to visit, but a little while 'fore I
was born they stopped him and wouldn't let him come no more.
"After surrender one of my brothers come home and say the war was over.
"We stayed there three years after surrender. They paid my mother and stepfather but they wouldn't pay us chillun
nothin', so my mother sent me to town to live with my sister.
"I hired out as a nurse girl and them white folks just as good to me as could be. She paid me $3 a month and give
me all my clothes. I was young and didn't have no sense, but all I didn't spend on candy I sent to my mother.
"In slavery times the white folks had a servant to comb the hair and lift up the dross. Yes ma'm, they had servants. I
sho was glad they had that war and freed me.
"Yes, Jesus, I seen them Ku Klux. I member once we had a big ball. We was cuttin' a dash that night. The Ku Klux
come and made out they was dead. Some of the folks run they was so scared, but one women come out and said she
knowed every one of the men. She knowed em by their hosses. Next mornin' we want by old Purvis Newman's
house and it looked like they was a hundred saddles layin' out in the yard. I was a young woman then and sparkin'
fit to kill. Yes ma'm I member all about it. I reckolect it just as well as I can walk out that door.
"My son wrote me bout sight years ago and say, 'Mama, you is might near a hunderd.' My daughter, my baby chile,
is bout sixty-three.
"About this younger generation, I don't know what to think. Some say the devil loose 'for a season.' I say if he ain't
loose, he tied mighty slack."
(Little Rock District), FOLKLORE SUBJECTS)
Name of Interviewer Irene Robertson
Subject TALES, Superstitions And Charms
When she was a child she remembered white children and colored playing "No Boogerman Tonight." One would
catch the others as they ran from behind big trees. Then whoever he caught would be the boogerman, till he caught
somebody else.
They made ash cakes and put black walnuts in it. It was just as good as crackling bread which was made from
rendering lard. They made molasses candy and pulled it at the Master's house during Christmas.
Mothers combed their children's hair Sunday and wrapped it, sometimes had dyed string.
The Master had a mule named Beck. Only one on the farm could tend old Beck. He would buck and kick.
Sometimes he would run and he would lope if you "hitched" him to a buggy. When freedom came the master
studied who would tend old Beck so he gave him to Jack. Jack felt so free as he rode from the farm out into the big
world all his own and no place to go. In about a year Jack sent a letter back by somebody to the Master. "I want you
to send me $2.00 of your own money. My wife has gone raving destracted. My mule is dead. I am pestered and
bothered. I bound you."
This information given by Rachel Harris
Place of Residence Green Grove, Hazen, Arkansas
Occupation Field.-Lives with her daughter.AGE 80
Will said there used to be witches when somebody got mad with somebody they would bewitch the cows. You
couldn't get the butter to come no matter how long you churned and sometimes a bewitched cow would come up
and give bloody milk. If you keep plenty salt around in the troughs the witches wouldn't come about so much.
If you carry a rabbit foot in your pocket it will bring you good luck. If you find anything pointed with point toward
you, that is a sign of good luck. If you put your shirt or dress on wrong side out, don't change it. Thats good luck for
the day.
Don't start to sew a piece of goods on Friday unless you are sure you can get it done before night for that is bad
luck.
Interviewer Miss Irene Robertson
Person Interviewed William Harris
Age 75 or 80 DeValls Bluff, Ark.
"I was born in Chetam County close to Nashville, Tennessee. Our master was named Joe Harris. His wife was Miss
Sallie Harris. They had eight children. I knowed Newt, Tom and Kittie. My mother had nine children. Her name
was Julia. My papa's name was Isom Harris. I think they belong to the same family of white folks. Granny was old
woman looked after white children. See if any of em got sick. She seen after little nigger children too. Mama was a
field hand like papa. After war Plummer Harris went on off. He was cruel to his wife and grown folks but good to
the children. We had good houses and plenty wood but the feed was light.
"I seen the Yankees riding through the country. They looked pretty, 'specially them on white horses. My papa and
mama left. Mama died with pneumonia. Papa died, too. We had a mighty hard time after freedom and before too.
Papa worked about on shares - hired out on jobs.
"When freedom come on we went on and they didn't think to give us nothing. When the hands all left they had the
land and nobody to work. They was land pore. It was tore up. Fences down houses down, and nothing to be raised
to eat in the winter.
"When I got bigger I helped build the North Western Railroad into Nashville. I made right smart of money. I was
building up the track bed. I farmed, worked on the section. I delivered here till my feet got in bad fix.
"I got thirteen children in all. Some in Tennessee by my first wife and some here and some grandchildren.
"Folks won't work like I used to work. It ain't no use to be larmed bout the times - they been changing since the
world started - still changing. If you able it is best to go hunt work and be at a job working.
"I heard about the Ku Klux, they never troubled us. I seen em. I was scared of em.
"I get commodities and a check for us three old folks. My wife washes and irons.
"I got a bunion on one foot and raw sores on top of my toes. It won't cure up. Both feet in bad shape. My wife had
both her legs broke. We doing very well."
Interviewer Miss Irene Robertson"
