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1203 E. Short 13th Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age 103
"Well, where you been? I been wonderin' 'bout you, Yes Lawd. You sure is lookin' fine.
"Yes, honey, I was bred and bawn in Davidson County, Tennessee. Come here one year after surrender.
"My daughter there was a baby jus' sittin' alone, now, sittin' alone when I come here to this Arkansas. I know what
I'm talkin' about.
"Lizzie Williams, my old missis, was rich as cream. Yes Lawd! I know all about it 'cause I worked for 'em.
"I was a young missis when the War started. I was workin' for my owners then. I knowed when they was
free---when they said they was free.
"The Yankees wouldn't call any of the colored women anything but Dinah. I didn't know who they was till they told
us. Said, 'Dinah, we's comin' to free you.'
"The white folks didn't try to scare us 'bout the Yankees 'cause they was too scared theirselves. Them Yankees
wasn't playin'; they was fitin'. Yes, Jesus!
"Had to work hard---and whipped too. Wasn't played with. Mars Andrew come in the field a heap a times and say,
'Don't whip them women so hard, they can't work.' I thought a heap of Mars Andrew.
"I used to see the Yankees ridin' hosses and them breastplates a shinin'. Yes Lawd. I'd run and they'd say, 'Dinah, we
ain't gwine hurt you.' Lawd, them Yankees didn't care for nothin'. Oh, they was fine.
"My husband was a soldier---a Yankee. Yes ma'am. They sends me thirty dollars every month, before the fourth.
Postman brings it right to me here the house. They treats me nice.
"When I come here, I landed on John Clayton's place. He was a Yankee he was a good white man too.
"I'm the onliest one left now in my family."
Interviewer Miss Irene Robertson"
Mccloud, Lizzie -- Additional Interview
"I know when chickens come and crow in yo' door that a way, somebody comin' from a way off---and they'll come
too. Happen up 'fore you know it too.
"And if a spider come down his web in yo' house or out on the gallery, a stranger comin'. Yes ma'am, a stranger, a
stranger."
Age 103
Mitchell, Ann Brinkley, Arkansas (Miss Irene Robertson)
Mccloud, Lizzie -- Additional Interview
"I know when chickens come and crow in yo' door that a way, somebody comin' from a way off---and they'll come
too. Happen up 'fore you know it too.
"And if a spider come down his web in yo' house or out on the gallery, a stranger comin'. Yes ma'am, a stranger, a
stranger."
This information given by Lizzie McCloud; Place of residence - 1203 E. Short 13th Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas;
Occupation - None; Age - 103
Mrs. Victoria Elmore McMullen (colored) was born in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, twelve miles west of Monroe,
September 18, 1884. She moved to Arkansas in 1907, to Kerr in Lonoke County. After living on a farm eight years
she moved to Little Rock, bought and built a home at 1416 N. Valmar Street in West Rock Addition to Pulaski
Heights. When a girl she only went to school six years beginning at seven years of age and having to stop at the age
of thirteen years to help her widow mother make their support. After going to public school three months in each
year she reached the fourth grade. After the elapse of thirty-seven years when the government school for adults
began, three years ago, she resumed in her school work again, and has graduated from the seventh grade. As the
government had no high school, she began her first semester at Philander Smith College, Little Rock, Arkansas, this
summer.
Bernice Bowden, interviewer December 22, 1938 Winfield McNary, interviewee Jefferson County Hospital Age:
108"
Mccloud, Lizzie -- Additional Interview
1203 Short 13th Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age 120?
"I was one of 'em bless your heart. Yes ma'm, yes ma'm, I wouldn't tell you a lie 'bout that. If I can't tell you the
truth I'm not goin' tell you nothin'!
"Oh yes, I was a young lady in slavery times --- bred and born in Tennessee. Miss Lizzie and Marse John Williams
--- I belonged to them --- sho did! I was scared to death of the white folks. Miss Lizzie --- she mean as the devil.
She wouldn't step her foot on the ground, she so rich. No ma'm wouldn't put her foot on the ground. Have her
carriage drive up to the door and have that silk carpet put down for her to walk on. Yes Lord. Wouldn't half feed us
and they went and named me after her.
"I know all about the stars fallin'. I was out in the field and just come in to get our dinner. Got so dark and the stars
begin to play aroun'. Mistress say, 'Lizzie, it's the judgment.' She was just a hollerin'. Yes ma'm I was a young
woman. I been here a long time, yes ma'm, I been here a long time. Worked and whipped, too. I run off many a
time. Run off to see my mammy three or four miles from where I was.
"I never was sold but they took we young women and brought us down in the country to another plantation where
they raised corn, wheat, and hay.
Overseer whipped us too. Marse John had a brother named Marse Andrew and he was a good man. He'd say to the
overseer, 'Now don't whip these girls so much, they can't work.' Oh, he was a good man. Oh, white folks was the
devil in slavery times. I was scared to death of 'em. They'd have these long cow hide whips. Honey, I was treated
bad. I seen a time in this world.
"Oh Lord, yes, that was long 'fore the war. I was right down on my master's place when it started. They said it was
to free the niggers. Oh Lord, we was right under it in Davidson County where I come from. Oh Lord, yes, I knowed
all about when the war started. I'se a young woman, a young woman. We was treated just like dogs and hogs. We
seed a hard time --- I know what I'm talkin' about.
"Oh God, I seed the Yankees. I saw it all. We was so scared we run under the house and the Yankees called 'Come
out Dinah' (didn't call none of us anything but Dinah). They said 'Dinah, we're fightin' to free you and get you out
from under bondage.' I sure understood that but I didn't have no better sense than to go back to mistress.
"Oh Lord, yes, I seed the Ku Klux. They didn't bother me cause I didn't stay where they could; I was way under the
house.
"Yankees burned up everything Marse John had. I looked up the pike and seed the Yankees a comin'. They say
'We's a fightin' for you, Dinah!' Yankees walked in, chile, just walked right in on us. I tell you I've seed a time. You
talkin' 'bout war --- you better wish no more war come. I know when the war started. The Secessors on this side and
the Yankees on that side. Yes, Miss, I seen enough. My brother went and jined the Secessors and they killed him
time he got in the war.
"No, Missy, I never went to no school. White folks never learned me nothin'. I believes in tellin' white folks the
truth.
"White folks didn't 'low us to marry so I never married till I come to Arkansas and that was one year after surrender.
"First place I landed on was John Clayton's place. Mr. John Clayton was a Yankee and he was good to us. We
worked in the field and stayed there two years. I been all up and down the river and oh Lord, I had a good time after
I was free. I been treated right since I was free. My color is good to me and the white folks, too. I ain't goin' to tell
only the truth. Uncle Sam goin' send me 'cross the water if I don't tell the truth. Better not fool with dat man!"
Interviewer Mrs. Bernice Bowden"
