Texas Slave Narratives

Texas Slave Narrative

  Isabella Boyd


The faded turban about her head is neat and clean, and as she sits rocking gently in a dilapidated rocker, Isabella Boyd is a perfect picture of the old Virginia "Mammy." Her figure is generous in proportions and her clothing, layer upon layer, iscorrespondingly voluminous. Stooped, almost sightless, her smile is gentle and lights up her whole face in toothless radiance. Possibly her most interesting feature is the soft, slurred voice of the "Deep South," with its undercurrent of melody. Isabella was born near Richmond, Virginia, and lived the slave of Gus Wood until freedom came. She came by boat from Richmond to Texas before the Civil War. "Lemma see, I come from Richmon', Verginny, t' Texas. Mister Gus Wood was my ownah. I kin recollect my w'ite folks. I was bo'n in d' country an' dey brought me over t' Richmon' an my popper an' mommer. I was jus' 'bout big 'nuf t' begin t' 'member. I had a dear good mistus too. My boss man he furnish' a house fo' his servants, a purty good house. My popper was a-wukin' fo' d' w'ite folks an' my mommer too. Look t' me dat ol' as I is sometime I kin sit rite hyuh (here) an' view dem houses." "I come from Richmon' hyuh on d' boat, sometime' on d' steam boat, sometime on d' big boat. We come 'cross from one town. W'en we lef N'Yawlins (New Orleans) dat evenin' we struck a big sto'm. Dat night so many of 'em was seasick but it happen Mister Woods ' crowd didn' git so sick. A boy come down an' say, 'D' Matron tol' me to come down an' see 'bout my folks. If I know' 'bout dis I come some sooner.' He say, 'Scoop 'em up some dividin' water.' Some of us didn' want it but he tole us t' drink it an' dat mek us not so sick.' Mister Wood he come 'long ev'ry now an' den. We ought t' been in Galveston dat mornin' but us didn' git dere 'til it was way late." "We git on d' big boat dat mornin' in Richmon' an' went floatin' t' d' big boat dat mornin'. We went sailin' down d' river an' den on t' N'Yawlins. Looks like it was jus' fun fo' us. Ev'y time we look back an' t'ink 'bout home it mek us sad, tho'. "My popper an' mommer didn' come t' Texas wid us. We hear' from dem once in a w'ile. Some 'er d' cullud folks knew how t' write. Some er' d' ol' w'ite folks had raise' d' cullud folks an' let 'em write. Dey teach' 'em how t' read an' write befo. Dey read d' lettahs but dey let d' cullud folks write." "Dey had a place built w'ere dey had Sunday School. D' w'ite folks had Sunday School in d' mornin' an' d' cullud folks in d' evenin' an' dey had a preacher t' preach t' dem. Dem was good times. W'en we li'l chillun went dey was someone t' go 'long t' show us how t' do. I wouldn' smuggle it fo' nuthin'. We had a good time too." "D' w'ite lady cook dinner an' sen' it down t' d' groun' fo' d' ol' folks an' chillun t' have plenty. Dat was a meetin' pr'tick'ler fo' d' cullud folks, an' my mistus understood cookin' it too, an' sen' a plenty."
"My mistus kep' me right in d' house right by 'er sewin'. My wuk was sewin'. Dey teach me t' sew soon's I was big 'nuf t' hol' a needle. I could sew so fas' I git my task ovah fo' d' uders git start' good. Lots time' in d' evenin' w'en us gals want t' go t' dance' I help put in d' sleebe 'r' sew on d' pants so d' uders could go wid us. Dey say, "Dat 'Bella , she done go way pas' all time." "I 'member d' purties' dress I evah make jus' like yestiddy. It was made wid dem tucks from d' wais' down t' d' hem, an' had diamon's cut all in de' skirt. Ev'ry one dem diamon's had t' be hem' inside by han'. Some d' folks had some kin' sewin' machine, but I like t' sew by d' finger bes'. "Our boss man was 's pr'tick'ler 'bout us bein' tended to 's could be. We was well took care of. My boss was livin' down yere. I been livin' in Beaumont ever' since I come t' Texas. Beaumont was a plumb mud hole w'en I fus' come yere. Mister Wood an' all his people was country people an' dey come yere an' settle an' try t' buil' up an' make it a go. Mister Wood he al'ays tuk d' paper. W'en he didn' read it hisself he wife she read it t' 'im. He didn' read it w'en we was 'roun'. Dey read it an' talk 'bout it at night w'en dey settin' up in d' house." "One night dey set up 'ong time an' do dey readin'. Nex' mornin' d' ol' cook woman, she an' Mister Wood done grow up togedder, she say, 'Well, dey had a big war. Dey had a big fight an' dey's lots of dem wounded. Ma'be us has t' tek care of some. 'Sho unf' dey brought lots 'r' Yankees an' dey tend' t' dem too. Sometime d' people go down an' see dem on Sunday. I didn' see mo' dan pris'ners." "Down at d' ol' camp groun' dey had a place prepared. Dey all camp 'roun' dere. It was a camp meetin' place. I don' know w'ich was d' Yankee sojers an' w'ich was d' 'federate sojers.""W'en we all got free dey was a long time in lettin' us know. Dey want t' git t'roo wid d' co'n an' cotton fo' dey let d' han's loose. Dey was people from uder plantations say, 'Niggers free an' yere you wukin'. 'Us say, 'No, d' guv'ment tell us w'en we free.' We wukin' one day w'en somebuddy from Mister Grissom ' place come by an' tell us dey free. Us niggers jus' kep' on wukin'. One day dey stop. Somebuddy say, 'Gustin , go wuk.' Gustin he say he goin' right on dis gate, he ain' goin' wuk. De boss man he come up an' he say he knock us off d' gate if we don' go t' wuk, but us say he ain' goin' knock nobudy offn' d' gate co'se he was such a good man. Mistus come out an' say, 'Ain' you goin' mek dem niggers go t' wuk? He say fo' her t' go back in d' house. Den he call fo' d' car'rage. He say he goin' t' town t' see w'at d' guv'ment goin' do. She say, 'You goin' let dem niggers go 'thout wukin' t'day? He say, 'Yes." She say, 'Ain' you goin' dress? He say, 'No, ain' no need to.""Nex' day dey hear d' big gate open an' shut. He come back from town an' say, "Les go t' d' smoke house an' 'vide out d' rations.' He come in d' house an' say, 'Gusta , you sew? I say, 'Yes, dat w'at I allus do.' Den Jinny she come in an' he tell us he look out fo' us. He tell mistus, 'I tell dem I didn' hafter beat 'em an' knock 'em down an' all dat. W'en time come d' mule was allus ready t' go t' d' fiel'.""He say t' d' niggers, 'Well, you is jus' s' free's I is.' Mistus say, 'Jinny gwine free too? He say, 'She sho is, too.' She say, 'My ma gimme Jinny w'en I was sixteen year' ol'.' 'An' she start cry'.""He say t' me dat I could stay an' cook fo' dem. I say, 'ifn' I kin stay an' cook I kin stay an' mak a livin'." He say, 'I give you five dollar a mont' an' dat house t' stay in an' all you want to eat.' Letty come in an' say, 'look yere boss, ain' you goin' tell us nuthin'? He say, 'how much you t'ink Is'bella wuth? She say, 'eight dollars a mont' an' a place t' stay an' w'at she need t' eat.' Mistus she want me t' stay a mont' longer t' help 'er make clo'se fo' d' chillun co'se dey goin' t' sen' 'em up No'th Ca'lina t' high school. Den she say she git me a nice place t' stay wid a lady t' wuk. She tol' me, 'now you mek 'em pay you fo' wukin'. Don' wuk fo' nuthin' co'se you is independent.' Ol' mis' say, 'don' be easy.' He say, 'yes, an' I goin' pay 'em w'st wukin' fo' me.' So w'en he say dat mos' d' han's stay at home an' don' go no place else." "Us got 'long good wid our w'ite folks co'se we knowed how t' take one 'nuther.""I 'member in slav'ry dey use' fix de groun' an' hab d' big races. Dey race d' hosses on d' place an' sometime' hosses from d' udder plantations dey bring 'em an' race 'em too. I has a boy name' Jimmy but he jus' small. One day he say, "Mammy, I gwinter ride in d' race t'morrah.' An' I say, 'no, y' ain' gwinter ride co'se y' ain' got no hoss.' An' he say, 'mammy, I gwinter ride ol' Billy.' Den I jus' frow up my han's co'se dat ol' Billy he so blin' he caint see a gnat on he nose. I say t' my husban', 'you gwinter 'low dat boy ride dat ol' blin' hoss? He didn' say nuthin' an' I forgit 'bout it. De nex' mornin' early we no fin' Jimmy an' long atter sun-up he come in wid nice shiny boots an' red pants on. He say, 'how I look? An' I say, 'you ain' gwinter ride in no race.' An' he jus' laf' an' laf' an' say he done won de race on ol' blin' Billy, an' he show us d' fi'ty cents Mister Crofton gib 'im fo' winnin' d' race. He say ol' Billy didn' know w'at he doin', he jus' foller he nose.""Dey had dances in dem times too. Dey beat on d' bones t' mak d' musick wid banjo an' uder t'ings. D' patteroles dey'd ketch us efn' us go t' d' uder plantations 'thout permit, but some d' good marsters low' d' cullud folks t' dance in dey back yahds. One time my popper he was runnin' from d' patteroles an' he run slap inter d' young marster an' he say, 'Uh, oh, you ain' no nigger, I kin tell by d' smell.""Dat min' me 'r' d' ghos' story dey uster tell 'bout d' ghostes' w'at lib on d' big bridge down d' holler. D' niggers dey say dat ghos' mak too much noise, wid all he hollerin' an' he rattlin' dem chain'. So dat night one us niggers w'at dey calls Charlie , he say he ain' 'fraid no ghostes' an' he gwinter git 'im a ghos' sho nuf'. Us didn' b'lieve 'im but purty soon we hears right smart wrastlin' wid d' chains an' hollerin' down by d' bridge. Atter wi'le he come in an' say he git d' bes' 'r' d' ghos' co'se he (the ghost) ain' got strenk like a man.' W'en I git grow' up d' w'ite chillun uster say, 'Kin 'Bell tell us ghos' story? I uster mak 'em outn' my head but d' mistus she al'ays hab sumthin' in d' pantry fo' me atterwards." "Me an' my ol' man us hab twel' chilluns altogedder. Dey's six 'r' 'em libin' now. My husban' he come from Sou' Ca'lina whar dey eats cotton seed. I uster joke 'im 'bout it. Start out jokin' but warn't long 'til us git mad, git so mad us jump out d' do' an' mos' git t' fightin' 'bout it. I al'ays say Verginny d' bes' co'se I come from dere. Us hafter quit jokin' 'bout whar us come from."


Isabella Boyd was born a slave of Gus Wood , in Richmond, Va., who moved to Texas by boat before the Civil War. Isabella still lives is Beaumont. "Lemme see, I come from Richmond, Virginy, to Texas. Massa Gus Wood was my owner and I kin recollect my white folks. I's born in dat country and dey brought me ever to Richmond and my papa and mama, too. I was jus' 'bout big 'nough to begin to 'member. "I come from Richmond yere on de boat, sometime de steamboat, sometime de big boat. When we left How Orleans dat evenin' we start a big storm. Us git on dat boat in Richmond and went floatin' down to de big boat dat mornin'. Looks like it jus' fun for us, but every time we look back and think 'bout home it make us sad. "I had a dear, good mistus and my boss man, he furnish a home for he servants, a purty good house. And dey had a place for de Sunday School. Den was good times. De mistus cook dinner and send it down for de old folks and chillen to have plenty "My mistus kep' me right in de house, right by her, sewing. I could sew so fast I git my task over 'fore de others git started good. "Lots of times when de gals wants to go to do dance I he'p make de dresses. I 'member de pretties' one like yesterday. It have tucks from de waist to de hem and had diamonds cut all in de skirt. "Our boss man was 'ticular 'bout us being tended to and we was well took cars of. He brung us to Beaumont when it was de plumb sud hole, and he settle down and try to build up and make it a go. "Massa Wood he allus takes de paper and one night they set up de long time and do dey readin'. Next mornin' de old cook woman, she say, 'Well, day have de big war, and lots of dem wounded.' Befo' long us has to take care of some dem wounded soldiers, and dey has de camp place near us. Dey all camp 'round dere and I don't know which was de Yankees and de 'federates. "When we all gits free, day's de long time lettin' us know. Dey wants to git through with de corn and de cotton befo' dey let's de hands loose. Dey was people from other plantations say, 'Niggers, you's free and yere you workin'.' Us say. 'He, de gov'ment tell us when we's free.' We workin' one day when somebody from Massa Grisson place come by and tell us we's free, and us stop workin'. Dey tell us to go on workin' and de boss man he come up and he say he gwine knock us off de fence if we don't go to work. Mistus come out and say, 'Ain't you gwine make dem niggers go to work?' He send her back in de house and he call for de carriage and say he goin' to town for to see what de gov'ment goin' do. Nex' day he come back and say, 'Wall, you's jus' as free as I is.' "He say to me I could stay and cook for dem, and he give me five dollar a month and a house to stay in and all I kin oat. I stays de month to do dere work. "After dat I wishes sometimes dat old times is back 'gain. I likes to be free, but I wasn't used to it and it was hard to know how to do. I 'members de dances we has in de old times, when we makes de music with banjo and other things. Some de good massas 'loved de niggers dance in de back yard and if we goes over dere without de pass de patterroles gits us maybe. One time my papa he runnin' from dem patterroles and he run slep into de young massa and he say, 'Oh, you ain't no nigger, I kin tell by de smell.' "Dat mind me of de ghost story dey used to tell 'bout do ghosties what live in de big bridge down in de hollow. De niggers day say dat ghostie make too much noise, with all he hollerin' and he rattlin' dem chain. So dat night one us niggers what dey call Charlie, he say he ain't 'fraid and he gwineter git him a ghostie, sho' 'nough. Us didn't believe him but purty soon us hears right smart wrastlin' with de chains and hollerin' down by de bridge and after 'while he come and say he git de best of dat ghostie. 'cause he ain't got strength like de man. "Me and my old man us have twelve chillens altogedder. My husban' he come from South Car'lina whar dey eats cottonseed. I used to joke him 'bout it. I allus say Virginny de best, 'cause I come from dere.



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