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1117 W. Fourteenth Street, Little Rock, Arkansas
Age 70
"I was born January 10, 1868, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I came here. I can't read or write. My brother-in-law told
me that I was born three years after the War on January tenth.
"My mother's name was Sara Cloady. My father's name was Square Cloady. I don't remember the names of any of
my grand people. Yes I do; my father's mother was named Bertha because I called my daughter after her. She must
have been in the Square family because that was his name.
"I had four brothers and sisters. Three of them I don't know anything about. I have never seen them. My sister,
Rachael Fortune, suckled me on her breast. That is her married name. Before she was married her name was
Rachael Bennett. Her father and mine was not the same. We was just half-sisters. We have the same mother though.
My father was half Indian and hers was pure-blooded Indian. They are all mean folks. People say I am mean too,
but I am not mean--unless they lie on me or something. My mother died when I was three years old. Children three
years old didn't have as much sense then as they do now. I didn't know my mother was laid out until I got to be a
woman. I didn't have sense enough to know she was dead. My sister was crying and we asked her what she was
crying about.
"I don't know the name of my mother's old master. Yes I do, my mother's old master was named Laycock. He had a
great big farm.
He was building a gas house so that he could have a light all night and work niggers day and night, but peace came
before he could get it finished and use it. God took a hand in that thing. I have seen the gas house myself. I used to
tote water home from there in a bucket. It was cool as ice-water. The gas house was as big 'round as that market
there (about a half block).
"My father served in the army three years and died at the age of one hundred ten years about twenty years ago as
near as I can remember. That is the reason I left home because he died. He served in the War three years. He was
with the Yankees. Plenty of these old white folks will know him by the name of Square Cloady. The name of his
company was Company K. I don't know the name of his regiment. He got his pension as long as he lived. His last
pension came just before he died. I turned it back to the courthouse because it is bad to fool with Uncle Sam. They
wrote for my name but when I told them I was married they wouldn't send me anything. I didn't know to tell them
that my husband was dead.
"I was married when I was about twenty-seven and my husband died more than three years before my father did.
My father lived to see me the mother of my last child; my husband didn't. When my husband was dying, I couldn't
see my toes. I was pregnant. My husband died in the year of the great tornado. The time all the churches were blown
down. I think it was about 1915. (Storm time in Louisiana.)
"I don't know what my mother did in slavery. I don't think she did anything but cook. She was fine in children and
they buys women like that you know. My sister was a water toter. My father raised cotton and corn and hogs and
turkeys. His trade was farming before the War. I don't know how he happened to get in the army but he was in it
three years.
"Laycock's farm was out in the country about four miles from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Some of the slaves lived in
log houses and some in big old boxed houses. Most of them had two rooms. They had nothing but four post beds
and chairs like this I am settin' down in (a little cane chair). I reckon it is cane--looks like it is. They had homemade
chairs before the war, boxes, and benches. The boards were often bought. But nothing else.
"They et greens and pickled pork. My father got tired of that and he would raise hogs. Pickled pork and corn bread!
"My father never told me what his master was to him, whether he was good or mean. He got free early because he
was in the army. He didn't run away. The soldiers came and got him and carried him off and trained him. I just
know what my father told me because I wasn't born. He served his full time and then he was discharged. He got an
honorable discharge. He had a wound in the leg where he was shot.
"I got along all right supporting myself by planting cotton until last year when the doctor stopped me.
"I took care of my father and the Lord is taking care of me. I am weak and still have that giddy head but not as bad
as I used to have it.
"Some of the young people do very well but some of them ain't got no manners and don't care what they do. I am
scared for them. The Man above ain't scared and he is going to cut them down."
(Pine Bluff District, FOLXLORE SUBJECTS)
Name of interviewer Martin - Barker
Subject Ex-Slave
Story
Son of Martha and Peter Hinton. Came from N.C. about 12 years ago, at close of Civil War. Mother had nine
children, she belonged to Mr. Sam Hinton.
At close of war mistis called us to her, said we were free and could go. So we went away for about a year, but came
back. Sorry we were free.
We saw about 2000 soldiers. Never went to school.
Went to white church on plantation. White preachers said, servants, obey your marster. I was valued at $800.00.
When I was a small boy I lay at marsters feet and he would let us play with his feet. He always had shiny shoes and
we riggers would keep rubbing them so they would shine more.
As I grew older, I cleaned the yard, later helped pick cotton.
I an a Baptist. Have behaved myself. Have prayer meeting at my home.
During the war we had prayer meetings at the different houses.
Chas. Hinton on the plantations. We prayed to be set free.
Turned wash pots down in the house to keep the sound down so white folks wouldn't hear us singing and praying to
be set free.
Overseer would whip neggers when out of humor. Miss Mary would always tell them not to mistreat her help.
Times were so hard during slave times, white marster took them into the bottoms and hid them, so they wouldn't run
off with the Yankee soldiers.
Talk of war got so hot, brought us out of the woods and put us in wagons and took us and de older people off to
Texas. We got up at 4AM, work all day until 9 or 10 at night.
On Sunday we worked if it was necessary.
I was tough and strong. I could out run a wild animal, barefooted and bare headed.
We would have a country dance once in awhile.Someone would play the banjo.
Miss Mary, white mistis called us all in one day and opened a large trunk. She showed us money, gold and silver,
saying that we had all helped to make it for them. Thats the first money I ever saw.
Chas. Hinton Before Christmas we killed hogs.
Our white folks didnt like any one wearing blue clothes. Thought they were Yankees, and that meant freedom for us
niggers.
Men in blue clothes came and put a rope around my marsters neck, took him all around the nigger cabins and asked
where he hid them. He told them, Texas. They said, get them and free them or they would hang him.
He sent after them and everything was alright.
I though my white marster was God. He took sick and died.
I heard the other slaves saying he committed suicide because he had lost all his money.
In those times my father saw my nother, decided he wanted her for his woman. He tol his white folks and they fixed
up a cabin for them to live in together. Was no ceremony. Had nigger midwives for babies.
I knows every lucky silver pieces of money. I believe in lucky pieces of silver. I is a dreamer, always been dat way.
I have seen my bright days ahead of me, in dreams and visions.
If I hears a woman's voice calling me, a calling me in my sleep I is bound to move outa dat house. I dont keer wher I
goes, I is got to go some whars.
Information by Charles Hinton
Place of residence RFD 5 Old riv. Rd.
Occupation____________________________Age 83.
Interviewer Bernice Bowden."
