|
|
ROSA WASHINGTON is 90 years old and lives in her own little adobe house at 3911 Manzana St., El Paso, Texas.
She was born a slave of the Watson family, on a large plantation seven miles from St. Joe, Louisiana. Her parents
came from Georgia. After the Civil War she left her former owners, but later returned and was with them until they
died. She came to Texas in 1921, and her three children provide for her. Her son, Le Roy, has been in the U. S.
Emigration service in El Paso for 27 years.
"My name's Rosa Washington and my husban' was Joe Washington. He's been dead a long time. I was bo'n on a big
plantation, white man's name Bill Watson, wife Ann Watson, seven miles from St. Joe. Mama had four chillen and I
had seven. Marster had a fine house and plenty of slaves. I dunno how many.
" 'Fore we was free we was in the fiel' workin' and they come out and got us. Everybody threw up their hands and
started to run. The Yanks busted open a sugar hogshead and give everybody all they wanted. Dey threw all de milk
away and dey carried our marster away by force and tuk him to jail in Vicksburg. Our missus wept. When the
Yankees got us, dey tuk us about three miles from what we live, put us in a fine house, give us plenty to eat until
war's ended. Me and my chillen and my father and mother were together there.
"We had a good cabin on the plantation, made out-a planks, ole rip-rap plunder. Dey treated us good. I worked in
water garden, worked in fiel's when 10 years old. Hoe'd my row every day. Dey didn' whop me, though. My
mistress wouldn' let 'em. Marsa and missus good to me.
I not tell lie on 'em. Tell truf. Truf shines.
"I seed niggers put in stocks, put 'en in stocks head in fust. Tear their clothes off backs, whop till sores come, den
dey pour coal oil and turpentine in sores. I see dat with my own eyes. My dad druv the carriage, carried 'em 'round
all time. My mother worked in the fiel' like I do. Work every day. Dey give us everything to eat. Marster and
missus, too, give plenty, but if ole cow died with cholera, they give to us niggers. I got good shoes once a year.
When marster went to New Orleans, mama had to tie my feet up in rags. I had to work with the rest of 'em. Got up
at 4 o'clock. We he'ped on other plantations when dey'd git behind. Go he'p 'em out.
"I waited on overseers table, Joe Crusa. He was mean. He stuck a fork in my head. Ole Aunt Clarissie cooked for
us. She cook in cabin for us, had big fireplace. She cook for all niggers on the place. She was mean to me, never
married. She had two rooms, all she do was cook, tell lies on me to white overseer. That roman told a lie on me
'cause said I lef' a fork dirty. He look at it, says, 'Who rubbed dis fork?' Woman says, 'Rosa,' and he stuck the fork in
my head. Missus turn him off nex' day.
"We had co'nbread, no sugar, plenty okra and coffee; plenty milk, 'cause they had 17 cows. They give us clabber
and peaches. Every day over-seer blow horn in yard to wake us up, 2 bugle at four o'clock Sundays. We take cotton
outta fiel' and put it up on scaffold to dry iffen it rain. Overseer sit in dry, big overcoat on; we work in mid and rain.
One mornin' they carried us to stockhouse to whip us. My missus and marster never let 'em whip me, but no white
folks he'p me to read and write. He'p me to do nothin' but work.
"White folks had church. I couldn' go. I hadda mind the white chillen every Sunday. Cullud people had to go way
back in woods to have church. Never let white folks see 'em. Had to slip and hide to have our church, run like deer
if foun' out. Marster never know a bit more'n this chair whar we was gwine. He couldn' ask us on Sunday, it be
against the law. Iffen niggers run away, dogs 'ud catch 'em.
"Dey had doctor right dere. Kep' us well. Kep' us well so's we could work. Brother-in-law to marster.
"When the niggers was married, dey put a broom down and dey jump over the broom, same time missus and
marster'd marry 'em. He'd marry 'em and she as witness. Sometimes celebrate. She'd cook 'em some cake, give 'em a
fine dress. We'd take meat and skillets down to the bar on Sundays. Had fish frys. Wouldn' take no fussy chillen to
the bar. We chillen would have fish fry whar dey couldn't watch us.
"Had to go to gin at four o'clock in evenin'. Couldn' play weekdays. had to go in cabin and be still. Never got to play
much till Yankees come and got us, but we had a big ball and dance in yard Christmas. Had candy, dey give us
dresses and socks and a good feast for Christmas. Give us things for 4th of July. Dey give us dat day. No, dey
wouldn' whip us dat day. We had a big quiltin' Christmas day. We'd piece de quilts outta scraps. Some couldn' quilt.
Dey'd dance in de yard all day.
"We niggers got wool clothes in winter, good clothes woven on de place. Marster had black sheep and white sheep.
He bought our summer clothes in New Orleans - linsey, calicy, plaid, some white ones. Dey'd give us color what we
like.
"Sure, I seed ghosts. Dey come with no head, come outta de fiel' one night so late, 'bout eight, nine o'clock. I was
scared, yes, suh, I sure was scared, but my mammy say. 'Dey ain' goin' to hurt you, baby.' Dey scare me. My
mammy give me beads for my neck, chinaberry beads to keep me well. They'd pretty. I never had no other kind.
"We never git no money befo' freedom. I stay away from Marster and missus de first year, den go back. Dey give us
50cents a day after war. Had to pay for rations. Better since war, though. No whippin's goin' on like they did 'fore.
"I'se a full Baptist - been ever since '67. I'se happy. Sometimes I gits too happy. I don' move till de spirit move me. I
goes to church when I'se able. But I'se gittin' too old to go now - I'se just waitin' to go home.
SAM JONES WASHINGTON, 88, was born a slave of Sam Young, who owned a ranch along the Colorado River,
in Wharton Co., Texas. Sam was trained to be a cowhand, and worked for his master until 1868, receiving wages
after he was freed. He farmed until 1905, then moved to Fort Worth and worked in the packing plants until 1931.
He lives at 3520 Columbus Ave., Fort Worth, and is supported by an $11.00 per month old age pension,
supplemented by what Sam raises in his garden and makes out of a few hogs.
"How old I is? I's 16 year when surrender come. I knows dat, 'cause of massa's statement. All us niggers gits de
statement when surrender come. I's seed plenty slave days.
"Massa Young run de small farm 'long de Colorado River and him don't own many slaves. Dere my mammy and her
six chillen, and Majoria and her four chillens. My pappy am not on de place. I don't know my pappy. Him am what
dey calls de travelin' nigger. Dey have him come for service and when dey gits what dey wants, he go back to he
massa. De womens on Massa Young place not married.
"Massa raise jes' a little cotton, dat two womens and de chillen could tend to, and some veg'tables and sich. Us have
lots of good food. Us sleep in de sleepin' room, nex' to massa's house, but I sleeps in massa's room.
"One night massa say, 'Don't tie my hoss to de stake tonight.' But I's sleepy and gits de modifies and draps off to
sleep. Mammy shake me and say, 'Did you stake de hoss?' Massa sees dat hoss in de mornin' and say. 'You done
stake dat hoss and I told you not to.' He gives me couple licks and I larns to do what I's told. He never whip nobody.
not de hard whippin' like other niggers gits. He am de good massa.
"I fust runs errands and den massa larn me to ride, soon's I could sit de hoss. Den I stays out with de cattle mos' de
time and I's tickled. I sho' likes to ride and rope dem cattle and massa allus fix me up with good clothes and good
hoss and good saddle. I stays dere till long after surrender.
"Us have stampedes from de cattle, Dat am cust'mary with dem critters. Dat mean ride de hoss to turn de cattle. Us
ride to side de leader and crowd him and force him to turn, and keep forcin' him, and by and by dem critters am
runnin' in de circle. Dat keep dem from scatterment. Dat sho' dangerous ridin'. If de hoss throw you off dem cattle
stamp you to death. Gabriel sho' blow he horn for you den!
"I sho' 'joys dat business. 'cause we'uns have de good times. Us go to town and have fun. One time I comes near
gittin' in trouble, but it ain't my fault. I's in town and massa, too, and a white man come to me and him show de
drink. 'Who you 'long to, nigger?' he say. 'I's Massa Young's nigger,' I says, polite-like. 'You looks like de smart
nigger and I's de notion smack you one,' he say. 'You better not smack me any,' I says. You understand, dat de way
massa raise me. I don't understand some cruel white mens gits de arg'ment, jus' for de chance to shoot de nigger.
Massa am standin' near by and him come up and say, 'If you touches dat nigger, I'll put de bullet through you.' Dat
man see massa have no foolishment in he words and gits gwine. But if massa am not dere, Gabriel blow he horn for
dis nigger's Jubilee, right den, yes, sar.
"I comes hear gittin' cotched by de patterrollers once. I's jus' 12 den and 'nother nigger and me, us want some cane
stalk. It good to eat raw, you knows. Jus' peel de bark off and chew dat inside. Well, we'uns in de man's cane patch,
breakin' dem stalks and dey makes de poppin' noise. A patterroller come by and hear dat poppin', and holler, 'Who's
dere in de cane patch?' Us didn't answer him, no, sar. I 'cides right quick dat I don't like cane and I comes 'way from
dat patch. I outsmarts and outruns dat patterroller. I keeps to de cane fields and de woods and I runs dis way and dat
way. I twists 'round so he couldn't follow my tracks. Like de snake's track, you can't tell if it am gwine north or
comin' back. Lawd a-mighty! How fast I runs. I stays 'head of my shadow. I tells you, I's a-gwine!
"De war? White man, we'uns didn't know dere am de war. We seed some sojers at de stars, but dat all. One day
massa say to me. 'After dis, you gits $15.00 de month wages. I works for him three more years and den he sold out.
Den I goes farmin' till 1905. I works in de packin' plants here in Fort Worth den, till I's wore out, 'bout six year ago.
Now I raises de hawgs, not very many, and does what work I can git. Dat pension from de State sho' helps me. With
dat and de hawgs and de little garden I gits by, and so I lives.
"Was I ever marry? Man, man, three time. Fust time, 'bout 1869, and we'uns gits de separment in 1871. Dat woman
sho' deal me mis'ry! She am de troublin' woman. Den 'bout 1873 I marries 'gain and she die 'fore long. Den in 1905 I
marries 'gain and she's dead, too. I never has de chillen. I's jus' 'lone and old now, and stay here till my time comes. I
'spect it quite a spell yit. 'cause I's got lots of substance left, yes, sar.
Washington, Rosa -- Additional Interview
Rosa Washington claims ninety years of life's experiences, which took her from a slave cabin to a little adobe home
of her own located at 3911 Manzana St, El Paso, Texas. She was born a slave of the Watson family on a big
plantation, seven miles from Saint Joe, Louisiana. Her mother and father came from Georgia. After the Civil War
ended she lived away from her marster and mistress, then returned to them to remain until their deaths. She came to
Texas in 1921. Three children help to provide for her. Horace Washington lives near Tululah, Louisiana. Elbert is in
Arkansas and Le Roy Washington has been in the United States Immigration service for twenty-seven years in El
Paso, Texas.
"My names Rosa Washington. My husband was Joe Washington. He's been daid a long time. I was born on a big
plantation, white man's name Bill Watson, wife Anne Watson, seven miles from St. Joe, Louisiana. My mother and
father come from Georgia. Mother and father were both slaves of Watsons, all belonged to white people. Mama had
four chillen. I had seben. Creasie was the baby. Jackie he's daid, two more all daid. Marster had a fine house. Plenty
of slaves. I dun-no how many. I cum out hyar sixteen years.
Fore we was free we was in the field workin and they come out and got us out. Ev'ry body threw up their hands and
started to run. Yanks busted open sugar hogs head and give every body all they want. My marsa hid it but Yankes
foun it. Dey true all de milk away. Dey carried our marsa by foce (force) and tuk him to jail in Bicksburg. Our
missus wept. I went back and stayed until I married in '69. Massa cum back after peace declared. My husban was a
slave soldier. Died in 1900. My baby Creasie, daid, Jackie, he daid: I had seben. Marster had a fine house. Plenty of
slaves. I come out here sixteen years. Come right from the house of marsa and missus. When the Yankes come out
and got us, dey tuk us e'rbout three miles from where we live, put us in a fine house, give us plenty to eat until war's
ended. We and my chillen, mother and father.
"We had a good cabin on the plantation. Made out-a planks. Ole rip-rap plunder. Dey treat us good. I was a servant.
Water garden, work in fields when ten years old. Hoed my row ev'ry day. Dey didn't whop me do. My mistress
wouldn't let 'em. Marsa and missus good to me. I not tell no lie on 'em. Tell truf. Truf shines.
"I see the niggahs put in stocks, put em in stocks head in fust. Tear their cloths off backs - whop till sores come den
dey pour coal oil and turpentine in sores. I see dat wid my eyes. My dad drive the carrage (carriage). Carried 'em
around all time. My mother worked in the field like I do. Work every day. Dey give us everything to eat. Marsa and
missus too day. Day give us everything to eat. Marsa and Missus too, give plenty, but if ole cow died wid cholera,
they give to us niggahs. I get good shoes once a year. When Marsa went to New Orleans, mama had to tie my feet
up in rags. I had to wok with the rest of 'em. Got up at fo-e 'clock. We he'ped on otha plantations when dey'd git
behind. Go he'p em out.
"I waited on over-seers table, Joe Crusa. He was mean. He stuck a fork in ma' haid. Ole Aunt Clarissie cooked fo us.
She cook in cabin fo us, had big fiah-place. She cook fo all niggahs on the place. She was mean to me, nevva
mahhied (married). She had two rooms, all she do was cook, tell lies on me to white ova-seer. Tha' woman told a lie
on me cause said ah left a fock (fork) dirty. He look at it, says "Who rubbed des fork?" Woman says "Rosa", and he
did dat. Nevva put his hand on me. Missus turn him off next day. White folks had a cullud (colored) woman cook fo
'em. Diana was her name, Annabelle another one. We had co'n bread - no flowah (flour) no sugar, ooher coffee.
Plenty milk, cose dey had seventeen cows. Dey give us clabber, n' peaches. Eva day ovah-seer blow horn in yard to
wake us up, a bugle at fe-o'clock Sundays. We take cotton out'n of field and put it up on scaffold to dry iffen it rain.
Ovah-seer sit in dry, big ovah-coat on, we wuk (work) in mud and rain. Ev'ry Monday morning I wash fo myself
and mother and daddy. One morning they cahhied (carried) us to stock house to whop us. My missus and marsa
neva let em whop me, but no white folks hep me to read and write. Hep me to do nothin but wok.
"White folks had church. Had a catachism in the morning on Sunday in the yard. Preacher was named Jenkins, a
white man. I couldn't go. I had to mind the white man's chillen. I had to mindem evva Sunday. I could see 'em, had
church under big tree in the yard.
"Cullud people had to go way back in woods to have church. Nevva let white folks see em. Had to slip and hide to
have ouh church. Run like deer if found out. We'd get to go out on the creek bank on Sunday, out on the bar and
play. Marsa nevva know a hit more'n this chair where we was guine. He couldn't ask us on Sunday, it be against de
law. Effen we want to go on anoher place, had to git a pass, iffen he wants you go he give em to you. Iffen he don't
he tell you not to go. Iffen niggahs run away, dogs ud catch em. I was sorry fo em. Dey had Doctor right der. Kept
us well. Dr. Jones give us medecine iffen we sick. Kept us well so's we could wok. He's kin to em. Brother-in-law to
marsa.
"When the niggas was mahhied (married) dey'd put a broom down and dey jump ovva the broom, same time missus
and marsa'd ma'y em. He'd ma'y (marry) em and she as witness. Sometimes celebrate. She'd cook em some cake,
give em a fine dress. We'd take meat and skillets down to the bar (creek bank) on Sundays. Had fish frys. Wouldn't
take no fussy chillen to the bar. We chillen would have fish fry when dey couldn't watch us. Dey wouldnt watch us,
but dey have a boy in watch us. Dey wouldn't watch us, but dey have a boy in woods iffen when we do bad dey take
us to stock house and whop us. White folks wouldn't let us fuss, wouldn't take nary fussy ones. Dey don low us to
fight. Had to go to gin at foah o'clock in evening. We couldn't play week days. Had to go in cabin and be still.
Nevva got to play much till Yanks come and got us, but we had a big ball and dance in yard Christmas. Had candy,
dey give us dress and soos and a good feast fo Christmas. Give us things for 4th o July. Dey give us dat day. No dey
wouldn't whop us dat day. We had a big quiltin Christmas day. We'd piece de quilts outa scraps. Pick ovah quilters.
Some couldnt quilt. Dey'd dance in yard all day.
"We niggahs got wool clothes in winter, good clothes woven on de place. Marsa had black sheep and white sheep.
He bought ouah (our) summer cloes in New O'leans. Linsey, calicy, plaid, son white ones. Dey'd give us color what
we like.
"Suah (sure) I see ghosts. Dey come with no haid (haid). Cum out-a de field one night so late, bout eight -nine
o'clock. I was scared, yes suh, I suah was scared, but my mammy say 'dey aint go'in' to hurt you baby! Dey scare
me. My mammy give me beads fo my neck. China-berry beads, to keep me well. They's pretty. I nevva had no otha
kind.
"We nevva git no money befo freedom. I stay away from Marsa and Missus first year, den I go back. Dey give us
fifty cents a day after de war. Had to pay for rations. Betta since war do. No whoppins goin on like they did a-fore.
"Ise a full Baptist - been evva since sixty-seven. Got religion in sixty-seven. Ise happy, sometimes I gits too happy. I
don' move till the spirit move me. I go to church when am able. Shilo Baptist church, my church. But I'se gitten too
old to go now. I's just waitin' to go home.
(Walker, Norman, El Paso, Texas, District 20, 23 Sept. 1937, No)
Washington, Rosa
Rosa Washington was born on the Watson plantation near St. Jose, Louisiana, she says and her age is 90 odd. She
remembers slavery days as days when she had to work in the field picking cotton and hoeing corn and cotton.
"My mem'ry is bad since I got so old," Rosa said. "Can't hardly remembah fum one day to the next what happens. I
remembah well the Civil War with all the shootin' and runnin' and the Yankees comin' to the cotton field an tellin' us
we was free and not to wo'k no mo. 'Cause we had to work to keep eatin' but that's what they said to us."
"Cant remembah any stories my mothah or fathah told us. Guess they told us a lot but I plum forgit 'em. My mamma
died in 1867 and my papa later. I was a slave till the Yanks come and set us free. Never saw New Or-leans nor any
other big town till I come to El Paso. It's the biggest size ever seen in my whole life."
(add to previous story)
(Gauthier, Sheldon F., Tarrant County, Texas, District #7, (Yes))
