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MOLLIE TAYLOR, 84, was born a slave to John Wilson, at Campbell, Texas. After she was freed, Mollie moved
with her family to an adjoining farm which they worked on shares. Mollie now lives at 523 Soaton St., Fort Worth,
Texas.
"Now den, I's no record of when I's born and just what de white folks tells me is all I knows. I'll be 84 this coming
October, but just what day I don't know. I's born on Massa John Wilson's farm at Campbell. Texas and him owned
my father and mother and 'bout 20 more slaves. Dere was 'bout four or five chillen in we'uns family. My father died
and I don't 'member much 'bout him, but his name was Anoon Wilson and my mother name was Kattie Wilson.
We'uns gits de name from de massa.
"Us slaves lived in log houses back of massa's house, and they was two and three-room houses with dirt floors and
do rook fireplace and just holes for windows. De flies come in de door and go out de window, but most of 'em
stayed in de house. Dere was no furniture like am today. No, suh, it was homemake stuff. De bunks was built 'gainst
de wall and full of straw or hay and de tables was made of split logs. Dere was de cook room and de eatin' room
where all de slaves meals cooked and they ate, 'tween de slaves quarters and de massa's house.
"Massa Wilson, him feed us purty good, with de cornmeal and 'lasses and plenty coffee and milk. We has white
flour once a week and massa git de sugar by de barrel. De slaves could have dere own gardens and dey raised most
dere vegetables. All de chillen ate out of de woods trough with wooden spoons. It was a sight to watch them, day
just like de bunch of pigs.
"De overseer. him ring de bell 'bout half past four in de mornin' and everybody what work go to de fields. Do massa
purty reason'ble with de work and didn't whip much. On Sundays de old slaves goes to de church and de chillen
plays.
"When war come dere lots of soldiers allus ridin' by de place. all deck out in de uniform with big, shiny buttons on
de coat. When us chillen seed dem we took to de woods.
"After freedom we'uns moves to de next farm and works and I stays dere with my family till I's 'bout 25 year old,
and den I marries Tom Gould and move to McLennan County. But he so mean I didn't stay with him very long, and
'bout six months of his foolishness and I ups and leaves him. After two years I marries George Taylor and I lives
with dat man for 13 years and took 'nough of his foolishness, so I leaves him. I's had four chillen but Tom Gould
nor George Taylor wasn't de father of any of 'em. No, suh, I just found de chillen.
Taylor, Mollie -- Additional Interview
Mollie Taylor, 84, living at 522 Seaton Street, Fort Worth, Texas, was born a slave to John Wilson, at Campbell,
Texas. She helped around the house and worked in the field til the slaves were freed. After freedom she and her
folks moved to adjoining farm and worked as share-croppers til she were about 24 or 25 years old. She then married
Tom Gould and moved to McLennan County. About six months later she left him and worked around as
housekeeper. Two years later she divorced Gould and married George Taylor and lived with him for about 12 years.
She had four children born out of wedlock, only one is now living, Roxie Sheldon, with whom she now makes her
home.
"Now den, I's no record of whin I's bo'n, jus' whut de w'ite folks tell me is all I's know. I's be 84 dis comin' October,
jus' whut day I's bo'n, I's don' know. I's bo'n on Marster John Wilson's farm at Campbell, Texas. Marster Wilson,
him also owned my father an' mother an' 'bout 20 mo' slaves. Der waz 'bout four or five chillen in we'ns family, but
I's de only one living now. My father died whin I's purtty young an' I's don' 'member much 'bout him. Now we'ns git
we'ns name from we'ns marster, my father name waz Anson Wilson an' my mother name waz Hattie Wilson.
"De slaves lived in log houses back of de marster's house. Dey waz two an' three room houses wid dirt floor, rock
fireplace an' jus' holes fo' windows. De flies would come in de door an' go out de window, but most of 'em stayed in
de house. Der waz no furniture lak der am today. No Sah, it waz only home made stuff. De bunks waz built 'gainst
de wall an' full of straw or hay, an' de tables an' benches waz made of split logs. Der waz de cook room an' de eatin'
room, whur all de slaves ate, between de slaves quarters an' de marster's house.
"Marster Wilson, him feed de slaves purtty good, as well as I's 'member. Der waz plenty of co'n meal, lasses,
vegetables, meat, an' der waz all de milk, clabber an' coffee you' want. De marster would give we'ns w'ite flour
twice a week an' den we'ns have biscuits, pies, an' cake. Marster Wilson bought sugar by de barrel so we'ns had all
de sugar we'ns want. De slaves had der own gardens an' dey raised most of der eats. Der also waz plenty of hogs to
kill so we'ns have meat most of de time. All de chillen ate out of wooden troughs wid wooden spoons. It waz a sight
to watch 'em, dey waz jus' lak a bunch of pigs.
"De overse'er on de farm would ring a bell at 4:30 in de mornin' an' de slaves would git up an' wash an' go eat der
breakfast, den dey would go to de fiel'. Dey wokked from daylight til dark, ever day except Sunday. De marster waz
purtty reasonably wid de wokke. Der wasn't much foolishness an' de marster very seldom had to whip any of de
slaves. De most of de whippun's I's git waz from my mother an'
I's needed 'em. I's hear tell dat on de other farms 'round dere dat dey sometimes kill de slaves cause dey wouldn't
wokke but I's never seen 'em do dat.
"Der wazn't no partys or dances on Marster Wilson's farm, but if de slaves wanted to go to de other farms fo' a party
or dance, it waz alright wid de marster. I's don' 'member if dey had to have a pass to go or not, I's too young to go so
I's don' know. On Sunday mornin' de marster would let de ole slaves go to church. All de chillen stayed home an'
played an' der wasn't no trouble wid 'em lak der am today. I's hear dat it waz a w'ite preacher dat preached to de
slaves, I's don' guess der waz any cullud preachers in slavery. Whin dey gits back from church de women folks
would wash an' patch de clothes. De men, dey jus' lay 'round de house an' sleep, sometimes dey would help de
women wid de washin'. De chillen would play 'round de house or go play in de woods. Dey never trouble de ole
folks lak dey do today.
"I's don' 'member 'bout de war, only dat der waz alot of soldiers always ridin' by de place all deck out in der uniform
wid big shiny buttons on der coat. Whin de chillen saw de soldiers coming dey would tak to de woods an' der dey
would stay til de soldiers waz out of sight. Whin de war waz over an' we'ns git de news dat we'ns free der waz alot
of rejoicin' among de slaves. Der waz alot of shoutin' an' hollowin', de slaves would shout, "We'ns free, free to do as
we'ns please. De marster told 'em dey could do as dey please, dat is if dey wanted to stay wid him or if dey wanted
to go.
"'Fter we'ns free, we'ns move to 'nuther farm next to Marster Wilson's farm an' wokke as share-croppers. I's don'
'member whut de w'ite folks name waz dat owned de farm but we'ns stay der til I's 'bout 24 or 25 yea's ole. I's den
marry Tom Gould an' move to a farm in McLennan County. Dat man waz so mean dat I's didn't live wid him very
long. I's 'fraid dat he would wake up in de night an' cut my throat lak he did de stock whin he waz mad. 'Bout six
months of dis foolishness an' I's ups an' leaves him. I's den wokke fo' de w'ite folks 'round der fo' 'bout two yea's. I's
keep house, wash, iron, an' everthin' lak dat. Den I's git a divorce from Tom Gould an' marrys George Taylor. Der
waz 'nuther mean man but not as mean as de first man. I's live wid dat man fo' 12 yea's an' tuk 'nuff of his
foolishness, so I's leave him. I's had four chillen but Tom Gould or George Taylor wasn't de father of any of 'em, No
Sah, I's jus' found 'em chillen. Charles Watson waz Roxie's father an' Roxie am de only chil dat I's got alive today,
so I's stay wid her now dat I's too ole to stay by myself.
(Davis, B. E., Dist. # 8, Palestine, Texas, 8-11-37, (Yes))
