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"I was born in Helena. Old woman we called grandma had me with her children. She died. Then Mr. Charlie
Wooten's mother come and got me. I was a orphant child. She learned me everything. She took care of me nicely.
Mr. Charlie Wooten is a cotton buyer here in Helena now. His mother name Miss Violet. I lived in a room in her
house till I married. I been married once. She was nice to me. My husband was a lumber stacker. Miss Violet built
me a house in her yard after I married. Ed Pillows brought my husband with him from Nashville, Tennessee when
he was a young man. We married in Mrs. Wooten's dining-room. Mr. Charlie's preacher married us. He was the
white folks' Baptist preacher. I lived with him till he died. It was about thirty years. He made me a good living.
After my husband died I went back to Miss Louise and lived there twenty-one years. Miss Violet was blind. Every
morning she tell them to tell me to come to see her, she want to squeeze my hand. She got blind and was ninety-nine
years old when she died. She lacked a few months of being a hundred years old. She would squeeze my hand and
say, 'God bless you.' I never knowed no father nor mother. I sprung up in her hands good fashion. I took Mr. Charlie
to my church (Negro church) every Sunday to Sunday-school. He got three children of his own now.
"Miss Violet married a Smith the first time. They was rich people. He died. Then she married Mr. Wooten. They
had two children but the girl died. They been mighty nice to me, kept me nicely. Good as could be to me. I never
went to school a day in my life - only Sunday-school where I took Mr. Charlie when he was a little boy. Miss Violet
learned me to work. I could cook, wash, iron, keep house. That all was better than going to school. They look after
me. They are always sending me something nice. They send me nice dinners on Sunday. But they don't send nice
bread like I cooked for them. The cook don't make it is the reason. I cooked for them as long as I was able.
"I never seen a Ku Klux. I heard talk of them.
"I get ten dollars a month from the Gover'ment. I was sick and I have someone to see after me now. Mr. Charlie
helps me. He gets my medicine if the doctor think I need it. He gets my doctor. They take care of me mighty nicely.
I never had a child. I didn't see the War. I lived out from here then. The War didn't 'fect me. We lived in the country
and in Helena both all along. I might not come with Miss Violet when the War was in Helena."
(Age) 80 plus
Quinn, Doc 1207 Ash Street Texarkana, Arkansas (Cecil Copeland)
Myers, Betty -- Additional Interview
"I was born in Helena. Old woman we called grandma had me with her children. She died. Then Mr. Charlie
Wooten's mother come and got me. I was a orphant child. She learned me everything. She took care of me nicely.
Mr. Charlie Wooten is a cotton buyer here in Helena now. His mother name Miss Violet. I lived in a room in her
house till I married. I been married once. She was nice to me. My husband was a lumber stacker. Miss Violet built
me a house in her yard after I married. Ed Pillows brought my husband with him from Nashville, Tennessee when
he was a young man. We married in Mrs. Wooten's dining-room. Mr. Charlie's preacher married us. He was the
white folks' Baptist preacher. I lived with him till he died. It was about thirty years. He made me a good living.
After my husband died I went back to Miss Louise and lived there twenty-one years. Miss Violet was blind. Every
morning she tell them when to tell me to come to see her, she want to squeeze my hand. She got blind and was
ninety-nine years old when she died. She lacked a few months of being a hundred years old. She would squeeze my
hand and say, 'God bless you.' I never knowed no father nor mother. I sprung up in her hands good fashion. I took
Mr. Charlie to my church (Negro) every Sunday to Sunday-school. He got three children of his own now.
"Miss Violet married a Smith the first time. They was rich people. He died. Then she married Mr. Wooten. They
had two children but the girl died. They been mighty nice to me, kept me nicely. Good as could be to me. I never
went to school a day in my life---only Sunday-school where I took Mr. Charlie when he was a little boy. Miss
Violet learned me to work. I could cook, wash, iron, keep house. That all was better than going to school. They look
after me. They are always sending me something nice. They send me nice dinners on Sunday. But they don't send
nice bread like I cooked for them. The cook don't make it is the reason. I cooked for them as long as I was able.
"I never seen a Ku Klux. I heard talk of them.
"I get ten dollars a month from the Gover'ment. I was sick and I have some one to see after me now. Mr. Charlie
helps me. He gets my medicine if the doctor think I need it. He gets my doctor. They take care of me mighty nicely.
I never had a child. I didn't see the War. I lived out from here then. The War didn't 'fect me. We lived in the country
and in Helena both all along. I might not come with Miss Violet when the War was in Helena."
Bernice Bowden, interviewer Arch Wesley Nelson, interviewee 1100 Block, N. Magnolia (outside city limits) of
Pine Bluff, Arkansas) Age 85"
