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"I was born at Jefferson Texas 'bout de year 1860, belonged as a slave chile to Mr. Bill Barker, a white plantation
owner. I was one of five chillun, my mother was named Mary Jackson. My father was Bob Brown. My mother was
brought as a slave chile from one of de southern states, she growed up in Jefferson Texas where she was married to
my father.
"My brothers an' sisters was named Ella, John, Will an' Bobbie. All passed away befo' dey was grown 'cept myself. I
was 'bout twelve years ole when my parents died. I can 'member as a chile listening to de stories my mother an'
father tole as we gathered 'round de big fireplace of dem days 'fore freedom.
"Dey waited till de cotton pickin' was over to begin dere winter work de women would spin on de old spinnin'
wheel or weave on de loom to make de close we wore de cold winters, while de men would clear de land, cut cord
wood fer our fies, an' prepare de land fer de nex' year's crop.
"De boss man would give holiday when we had done our work well, an' gather all de families fer miles 'round from
de othur plantations. We would go to de riber an' have fish frys, an' hunt for nuts if it was in de fall ob de year. We
often took our baskets full of good things to eat, we would clear off a place on de hard ground an' hab dances.
"Our boss man was good to his slaves, but de overseer would whip dem ef dey would not work. None of Mr. Bakers
negroes run away, but our neighbor, Mr. Pruitt's men often run away.
"I had an aunt dat lived on Mr. Pruitts place an' when she did not always do as de overseer told her to do, he
whipped her. I would git chunks of dirt an' throw at him to make him stop.
"After my father an' mother died I lived with my gran'mother, Amy Johnson, in Jefferson Texas, after freedom, I
married an' lived wid my husban' in Arkansas. His name was Al Crawford, we had one girl name' Liza. She lived to
be grown, married an' had two sons.
"When I lived in Arkansas I nussed foh de white folks. When de crops was laid by de white folks let us have camp
meetins, den ever'body foh miles 'round would come an' we would hab an ole time reunion ob de slaves.
"Sometimes when we had a year dat de drouths was bad we would git togedder an' pray foh rain. Som'times when
we did dis de overseer would think we was plannin' mischief an' he would watch an' break up our meetin's. Den we
would meet in secret an' keep on wid our prayers foh rain. I well 'member once when it had been dry all de spring
an' summer we decided it was time to pray foh de rain to come, so we fasted an' prayed for two days, an' it was on a
Thursday night dat it commenced to rain all day an' rained foh two days.
"We met togedder an' had a thanksgivin' service foh de Lawd hearin' of our prayers. After dat de rains come regular
an' we had a good crop an' raised plenty of potaters, which we depended on to help our winter food supply.
"Dese years went by an' I come to Texas an' lived near Calvert, Texas, on a Mr. Joe Beckham's plantation foh a
number of years an' my ole man finally died, den I moved to Marlin Texas an' from dere to Mart, where I now live
an' have lived foh about thirty years.
"De white folks always was good to us an' did not let us go hungry. Som'times we had little crops an' had half of
what we made. When my ole man died I wurked foh de white folks in Marlin, an' at Mart, also.
"I am ole an' crippled now wid de rumatism an' have only one hand, but de white folks takes care of me an' de
Government helps. I believe de good ole days was de best, when we prayed foh de rains we believed dey would
come an' dey did.
"I feel ole an' alone but de Lawd is still wid me so I am jus' waitin' foh de time to come when I go an' be wif dose
who haf done gone on."
Reference: Interview with Julia Williams, ex-slave, Mart, McLennan County, Texas.
(Shirley, Aline, San Augustine County, 8-7-37, (No))
