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PHOEBE HENDERSON, a 105 year old Negro of Harrison Co., was born a slave of the Bradley family at Mason,
Georgia. After the death of her mistress, Phoebe belonged to one of the daughters, Mrs. Wiley Hill, who moved to
Panola County, Taxes in 1859, where Phoebe lived until after the Civil War. For the past 22 years she has lived with
Mary Ann Butler, a daughter, about five miles east of Marshall, in Enterprise Friendship Community. She draws a
pension of $16,00 a month.
"I was bo'n a slave of the Bradley family in Macon, Georgia. My father's name was Anthony Hubbard and he
belonged to the Hubbard's in Georgia. He was a young man when I lef' Georgia and I never heard from him since. I
'member my mother; she had a gang of boys. Marster Hill brought her to Texas with us.
"My ole missus name was Bradley and she died in Tennessee. My lil' missus was her daughter. After dey brought us
to Texas in 1859 I worked in the field many a day, plowin' and hoein', but the children didn't do much work 'cept
carry water. When day git tired, day'd say dey was sick and the overseer let 'em lie down in de shade. He was a
good and kindly man and when we do wrong and go tell him he forgave us and he didn't whip the boys 'cause he
was afraid they'd run away.
"I worked in de house, too. I spinned seven curts a day and every night we run two loons, makin' large curts for
plow lines. We made all our clothes. We didn't wear shoes in Georgia but in this place the land was rough and
strong, so we couldn't go barefooted. A black man that worked in the shop measured our foot and made us two pairs
a year. We had good houses and dey was purty good to us. Sometimes missus give us money and each family had
their garden and some chickens. When a couple marry, the master give then a house and we had a good time and
plenty to wear and to eat. They cared for us when we was sick.
"Master Wiley Hill had a big plantation and plenty of stock and hawgs, and a big turnip patch. He had yellow and
red oxen. We never went to school any, except Sunday school. We'd go fishin' often down on the creek and on
Saturday night we'd have parties in the woods and play ring plays and dance.
"My husband's name was David Honderson and we lived on the same place and belonged to the same man. No, suh,
Master Hill didn't have nothin' to do with bringin' us together. I guess God done it. We fell in love, and David asked
Master Hill for me. We had a weddin' in the house and was married by a colored Baptist preacher. I wore a white
cotton dress and Missus Hill give me a pan of flour for a weddin' present. He give us a house of our own. My
husband was good to me. He was a careful man and not rowdy. When we'd go anywhere we'd ride horseback and
I'd ride behin' him.
"I's scared to talk 'bout when I was freed. I 'member the soldiers and that warrin' and fightin'. Toby, one of the
colored boys, joined the North and was a mail messenger boy and he had his horse shot out from under him. But I
guess its a good thing we was freed, after all.
Henderson, Phoebe -- Additional Interview
Phoebe Henderson, a 105 year old Negro woman of Harrison County, was born a slave of the Bradley family at
Macon, Georgia. After the death of Mrs. Lucy Bradley, her original mistress, she became the slave of one of Mrs.
Bradley's two daughters, who married Wiley Hill. Phoebe and her mother, came with the Hill family from Georgia
to Panola County, Texas in 1859, where she lived until after the War. For the past 22 years she has made her home
with Mary Ann Butler, one of her daughters, who lives about five miles east of Marshall, in Enterprise Friendship
Community, and draws $16.00 a month pension from the Government.
"I was bo'n a slave of the Bradley family in Macon, Georgia. My father's name was Anthony Hubbard, and
belonged to the Hubbard's there in Georgia. Oh! its been a time since I seen him. He was a young man when I lef'
Georgia, an' I never heard frum him since. I 'member my mother; she had a gang of boys. Master Hill brought her to
Texas with us. I had a heap of brothers and sisters, but they are all dead, except the two youngest children.
My ole' Mistress' name was Mrs. Bradley. She had a eatin' cancer and went from Georgia to Tennessee, where she
died. My little Mistress was one of her daughters who married Wiley Hill. Dey bring me an' my mother with dem
when dey come to Panola County, Texas, in 1859. I worked in the fiel' many a day, plowing and hoein', but I had
rather plow than hoe. The children didn't do much work, except carry water. Sometimes two of 'em work one row.
When dey git tired, dey say dey are sick and the overseer tell dem to go lie down in de shade. He was a good an'
kindly man, an' wore long hair an' beard. When we do wrong, and go tell him, he forgive us an' tell us not to do it
anymore. He didn't whip the boys cause he was afraid they would run away into the woods. But Master Hill whip de
boys for runnin' away, an' cause de belong to his wife, he put dem in chains. She tole him not to do it anymore.
Master Hill brought de overseer to Texas with us. I worked in de house too. Did I ever spin any? Oh! don't say it! I
spin seven curts a day; an' ev'ry night we run two looms making large curts for plow lines. We made all our clothes.
We didn't wear shoes in Georgia; but in dis country the land was rough and strong an' we couldn't go barefooted. A
black man that worked in the shop, measured our feet an' made us good shoes. Dey give us two pair a year. We had
good houses to live in, an' dey was purty good to us. Sometimes Mistress give us money, an' I could buy anything I
wanted with it. Each family had their own garden an' chickens. No, sah, we didn't have no trouble keeping our
chickens apart. Each one had their own chicken house and feeding place. When a couple marry, Master give them
their own house to live in. We had a good time, plenty of clothes, an food an dey cared for us when we were sick.
Old Granny Penny was the women's god-mother. She trotted over the country to care for the women when children
was born. Master paid her. Master Wiley Hill had a big plantation, plenty of stock, plenty of hogs, an' a big turnip
patch. He had yellow an' red oxen, that he used for hauling an' plowin'. They would pull the wagon when we was
pullin' co'n an' when dey would eat de co'n, we would whip dem an' they would stop. We never had a team to run
away because we always loosened the hame string. We never went to school any, except Sunday School. We go
fishin' often down there on the creek. An' on Saturday night we go out in the woods an' have parties, an' play ring
plays an' dance.
My husband name was David Henderson. We live on the same place an' belong to the same man. No sah, Master
Hill didn't have anything to do with bringin' us together.... I guess God done it. We fell in love, an' David ask
Master Hill for me. We had de weddin' der in de house. We stand up out in the middle of de room an' was married
by Rev. Emmanuel, a colored Baptist preacher. I wore a white cotton dress. Mistress Hill give me a pan of flour for
a weddin' present. Master Hill give us a house of our own after we married. My husband was good to me. He was
careful man an' not rowdy. When we go anywhere we ride horseback, I ride behind him. No sah, no woman ever try
to take my man away from me. De women dey knew better what dey wanted than de women do now. They wasn't
always partin'.
When asked if she remembered how she felt when she learned that she was free, Phoebe replied, "I'se scared to talk
'bout it. Master Wiley say, 'Some of 'em gonna git killed fer gittin' free.' Dat's de reason we didn't talk 'bout it. 'Can't
you do like you been doing all the time, and go on like you been doing,' Master Hill asked us. Toby, one of the
Master's colored boys jined the No'th an' was a mail messenger boy. He had his horse shot out from under him, an'
dey say he jumped out of his shoes. I 'member dem soldiers. Dey had de calvary an' de infantry. I guess that waring
and fightin' will go on to de end of time.
Alfred E. Menn District No. 9 Travis County (9-16-37 (No))
