Phoebe Jane Burrell

Aunt Phoebe Jane Burrell I found Aunt Phoebe living at Cuney, a small negro town about half way between Jacksonville and Frankston, almost on the banks of the Neches River. She is a typical "old mammy", with a head as white as cotton. She's rather feeble now but her mind is still active, at least on some things. I find that she still deeply regrets, or resents that the white folks didn't teach her to read and write. She seems to think that she was cheated out of an education. Seems that it never occured to her that she could learn to read and write after she was grown, and freed. She has to stop and think and can't quite make connections about some incidents but seems rather positive about the following.

I know that I come to Texas when I was a very small girl. I was the property of Chris Carter . I was born in Newton County, Georgia, in 1850. My mother an father was Martha and Orange Bledsoe . Mr. Carter owned lots of slaves before we left Georgia. I remember there were fifteen cabins in the quarter lot. When we got ready to leave for Texas, Mr. Carter decided to make two trips. Jest sorter divided up an bring part of us at a time I was taken from my mother an left behind. He brung mother, my baby brother and sister on the first trip. Next time he brung me along with a great many others. We went by boat down the Mississippi River to New Orleans and then by wagons to Rusk where we lived for several years. I longed an wished so much to see my mother but never did till after I was married and had one child. I jest kept looking and hunting an asking about her till we finally found her. That was a happy minute. I know the Lawd heard my prayers that same day I'd find her. I had to work hard but they were good to me but never learned me to read nor write. None of Mr. Carter's slaves never went to school any. Jest work, work. We went to church some times with the white folks. We sot on one side the house and whites on the tother. I never make a field hand jest worked at the house. Sometimes Missus Carter would dress me up in a starched dress and take me along with her to church or funeral or social. Yessum, they had socials then same as now, only they didn't cost so much. Folks didn't live at such a clip them days, now its different. Folks is allus in a hurry to git there where ever they'er going and in a hurry to git away. I never saw any slaves sold as I can remember but I know of course it was done. Some of Mr. Carter's slaves were Wyatt , he was the driver. Aunt Fanny and Kathleen were the weavers. I could weave but not like they could, they wove Jeans and could use three and four treadles, but I never learned to use but two treadles and I just wove plain cloth, about six yards a day was the best I could do. Elizabeth was the cook and twixt idle times she sewed.  The hands were called out early and was making to the field by day light some a hollering, some singing. We generally had Saturday afternoon to wash and clean up the cabins and do a little cooking. I was staying with Governor Hubbard when we were freed. He lived at Mineola, up above Tyler. I remember a Mr. Lignoski from Tyler came out to Gover. Hubbards and read a paper to us saying we were freed. The first year after liberty I lived on the Billy Hix place near Alto. Then I married Andrew Hicks , we had two chillun, Malinda is still living. I next married William Burrell , we had six chillun, Mary , Haywood , Hattie and Mattie (twins) William and Frankie . When I live with the Hubbards   Mrs. Hubbards had twins, girls and named them Hattie and Mattie . When I left her she say to me, Phoebe if you ever have twin girls I want you to name them after my girls, and sho nuff the Lawd blessed me with twin girls and I named them atter Mrs. Hubbards chillun. (Phoebe now lives with Mattie one of the twins.)  I was baptized in old Jordan Creek many years ago and been a member of Rock Hill church ever since.