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715 Gay St. Nashville, Tennessee
"I'se 87 y'ars ole. Was bawn in slavery. Was freed w'en de slavery stopped. Mack Ramsey was mah marster on he was sho good ter his slaves. He treated dem as human bein's. W'en he turned his slaves 'loose he gib dem no money, but gib dem lands, clothin' en food 'til dey could brang in dere fust crop. Mah daddy rented a strip ob land 'til he was able ter buy de place. He lived on de same fer menny y'ars."
"W'en I was ole er'nuff I was taught ter spin en weave. I becum de nuss ter de marster's onlies' chile. Soon atter I was freed, I went ter Wisconsin, but only was dere fer a y'ar, den I kum back ter Tennessee en Nashville. I settled in dis house en I'se bin livin' in hit fer ovuh fifty y'ars. Dere was no uther houses 'round 'yer at de time. I own de place. Hab wuk'd all mah life seem ter me. At one time I was a chambermaid at de Nicholson House now de Tulane en later 'kum a sick nuss, a seamstress, dressmaker but now I pieces en sells bed quilts. I does mah own housekeepin' en washin'."
"I don't member now, very much 'bout de Ku Klux Klan. I do member dat one nite dey passed our home en I grab'ed a shotgun on said dat I was gwine ter shoot dem of dey kum on de place. I members de Battle ob Murfreesboro, but I'se got no membrances ob any slave uprisin'."
"I think very lettle ob de younger ginerashon. Dere's many, things ter day dat should be changed, but I'se 'yer en can't do nuthin' ter change hit. I's min'in mah own business. I puts mah faith en trust in Gawd's han's; en treats mah nabers right; en lives honest. I 'longs ter de Christian Chuch, but don't wan'ter be called a "Campbellite."
"De songs I members ez:
Am I a Soldier ob de Cross.
Am I Bawn ter Die?
'Tis 'Ligion Dat Can Gib."
