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NANCY JACKSON, about 105 years old, was born in Madison Co., Teanessee, a slave of the Griff Lacy family.
She was married during slavery and was the mother of three children when she was freed. In 1835, Nancy claims,
she was brought to Texas by her owner, and has lived in Panola Co, all her life. She has no proof of her age and, of
course, may be in the late nimeties instead of over one hundred, as she thinks. She lives with her daughter about five
miles west of Tatum, Tex.
"I's live in Panola County now going on 102 year and that a mighty long time for to 'member back, but I'll try to
rec'lect. I's born in Temnessee and I think it's in 1830 or 1832. I lives with my baby chile what am now 57 year old
and she's born when I's 'bout 'bout 33. But I ain't sho' 'bout my age, noways.
"Massa Griff fotches us to Texas when I a baby and my brudders what am Redic and Anthony and Essex and Allen
and Brick and my sisters what am Ann and Matty and Charlotte, we all come to Texas. Mammy come with us but
pappy was sold off the Lacy place and stays in Temessee.
"Massa had the bigges' house in them parts and a passel of slaves. Marmy's name was Letha, and we have a purty
good place to live and massa not bad to us. We was treated fair. I guesses, but they allus whipped us niggers for
somethin'. But when we got sick they'd git the doctor, 'cause losin' a nigger like losin' a pile of money in them days.
"Massa sometimes outliaes the Bible to us and we had a song what we'd sing sometimes:
"Stand your storm Stand your storm,
Till the wind blows over,
Stand your storm, Stand your storm,
I's a sojer of the Cross,
A follower of the Lamb.'
"We was woke by a bell and called to eat by a bell and put to bed by that bell and if that bell ring outta time you'd
see the niggers jumpia' rail fences and cotton rows like deers or something, gettin' to that house, 'cause that mean
something bad wrong at massa's house.
"I marries right here in Panola County while slavery still here and my brother-in-law marries me and Lewis Blakely,
and I's 'bout nineteen. My husban' 'longed to the Blakely's and after the weddin' he had to go back to them and they
'lowed him come to see me once a week on Saturday and he could stay till Sunday. I works on for the Lacy's more'n
a year after slavery till Lewis come got me and we moved to ourselves.
"I 'member one big time we done have in slavery. Massa gone and he wasn't gone. He left the house 'tendix' go on a
visit and missy and her chillen gone and us niggers give a big ball the night they all gone. The leader of that ball had
on massa's boots and he sing a song he make up:
"'Ole massa's gone to Philiman York
And won't be back till July 4th to come:
Fac' is, I don't know he'll be back at all,
Come on all you niggers and jine this ball.'
"That night they done give that big ball, massa had blacked up and slip back in the house and while they singin' and
dancin' he sittin' by the fireplace all the time. 'Rectly he spit, and the nigger who had on he boots recernises him and
tries climb up the chimmey."
Jackson, Nancy -- Additional Interview
Nancy Jackson, a 107 year old Negro woman of Panola County, was born in Madison County, Tennessee as a slave
of the Griff Lacy Family. She was married during slavery time and was the mother of three children at the time of
Emancipation. She was brought, with her mother, from Tennessee to Texas by the Lacys in 1835 and has resided in
Panola County all of her life. She reared a family of three children, two of whom are still living. Since the death of
her husband she has resided with her son-in-law and daughter, Emmeet Isaac, who lives about five miles west of
Tatum.
"I'se lived in Panola County now going on one hundred and two years. That's a mighty long time fer a person to
'member back, but I'll try to "reckolect" (recollect) some of the things white fo'ks Like to hear.
I was bo'n in Madison County, Tennessee in 1830 on the Griff Lacy place. I live with my baby chile who is now 57
years old. She was bo'n when I was 'bout forty-eight, that's how I make a statement of my age.
Master Griff "fetched" us to Texas when I was five years old. Besides me there was my brothers, Redic, Anthony,
Essex, Allen, "Brick" and my sisters, Ann, Matty and Charlotte when we come to Texas. Mammy come with us too,
but Pappy was sold off the Lacy place and stayed in Tennessee.
Master had a big house and lots of slaves and settled on a big plantation. The slave houses warn't called "qua'ter" as
they was scattered round over the farm. They called them by the name of who lived in them. Mammy's name was
Letha and where we lived was called "Letha's house". We et meat, peas, collards, co'npone, and had plenty of milk.
Game was easy killed, and we had lots of possum, coon, squirrel and deer. Master had an overseer, but didn't use no
"Nigger-driver". I cooked, washed and wo'ked in the fiel'.
We wore home-spun clothes and was treated fair nuff I guess. They allus whipped a "Nigger" fer something, and
chasing them with hounds when they run off. One thing they done was to take care of us when we was sick. If a
good darky get bad sick, Master got that white doctor there quick, and say, "Save that Nigger". Losing a good
Nigger was same as losing of pile of munny to him. I saw lots of slaves whipped and was whipped plenty, but
Master didn't generally skin us up like some of them did. We had parties on Saturday night and play ring plays, drop
plays and sing and dance.
My brother-in-law Solomon was our preacher. He come round to our house and talk and pray with us. Master let
him learn to read and write and figure. He told him what to preach to us, mostly obey your master and mistress and
you'll be saved. Master come round sometimes and outline the Bible to us and show us how it say that we was to
obey our Master if we was to be "redeemed". We ganged up on Sunday night sometime and sang and pray. My
favorite spiritual went like this:
"Stand your storm, stand your storm, stand your storm Till the wind blows over
Stand your storm, stand your storm, stand your storm I am a soldier of the cross, a follower of the Lamb
Stand your storm, stand your storm, stand your storm Till the Christians done gain the day
Stand your storm, stand your storm, stand your storm I am a soldier of the cross, a follower of the Lamb."
When we went forth to baptise, we first kneeled by the water side and pray, then we all rise and sing:
"This baptizing shall go on Come to the water side, come to the water side, Come all ye poor, needy and tired Come
to the water side, come to the water side.
Jesus my all to heaven has gone Come to the water side, come to the water side, Come all ye poor, needy and tired,
Come to the water side, come to the water side.
This path I see and now I persue Come to the water side, come to the water side. Come all ye poor, needy and tired
Come to the water side, come to the water side.
The narrow way to heaven now I view Come to the water side, come to the water side, All ye poor and needy and
tired, Brother, come to the water side, come to the water side.
We was woke up at four o'clock in the mo'ning and hit the fiel' till dusk-dark. We was woke by a bell and called to
eat and put to bed by that bell. If that bell rang out of time you could see the darkies jumping rail fences and cotton
rows like deers or something getting to the house, cause dat meant something was bad wrong at Master's house.
Sometimes the Niggers would run around so much at night that they half do their work the next day and have to be
whipped.
I was married in Panola County, Texas during slavery. My bother-in-law Solomon married me and Lewis Slakely
there on the place. I was 'bout nineteen. Mistress fix me up a nice dress for the wedding and giv' us a big supper. My
husband belonged to the Blakely's. After the wedding he went back to them. They let him come over to see me once
a week, on Saturday and he could stay till Sunday. I was sich a fool then that I don't 'member much bout all the
carryings-on we had after the wedding. I worked on for the Lacy's more than a year after slavery till Lewis come
and got me and we moved to ourselves. When Master hear of the surrender he say, "The Yankees are going to cause
some of you Niggers to get killed". Finally they let us go and Mistress cried. The white fo'ks had to hang their heads
when they let the slaves go.
I 'member one big time we had in slavery. Master was gone and he warn't gone. He left the house pretending to go
on a visit. Mistress and her chil'ren was visiting relations, and the Niggers giv' a big ball the night after Master left.
The leader of the ball put on Master's boots and they sang a song he made up:
"Ole Masters gone to Philiman York and Won't be back till July or August fourth to come Fact is I don't know he
will be back at all Come on all you Niggers and jine this ball.
The night they was giving the ball, Master had "blacked" up and slipped back in the house. While they was singing
and dancing, he was sitting by the fire-place all the time. Directly he spit and the Nigger who had on his boots
recognized him by his spit and tried to climb up the chimney.
Alex Hampton, P. W. Marshall, Texas Harrison County (5-8-38 (Yes))
