Texas Slave Narratives

Texas Slave Narrative

  Elgie Davison

Elige Davison was born in Richmond, Virginia, a slave of George Davison . Elige worked in the field for some time before he was freed, but does not know his age. He lives with one of his grandsons, in Madisonville, Texas.  My birth was in Richmond. That's over in old Virginny, and George Davison owned me and my pappy and mammy. I 'member one sister, named Felina Tucker .  Massa and Missus were very good white folks and was good to the black folks. They had a great big rock house with pretty trees all round it, but the plantation was small, not more'n a hunerd acres. Massa growed tobaccy on 'bout 30 of them acres, and he had a big bunch of hawgs. He waked us up 'bout four in the mornin' to milk the cows and feed them hawgs.  Our quarters was good, builded out of pine logs with a bed in one corner, no floors and windows. Us wore old loyal clothes and our shirt, it open all down the front. In winter massa gave us woolen clothes to wear. Us didn't know what shoes was, though. "Massa, he look after us slaves when us sick, 'cause us worth too much money to let die jus' like you do a mule. He git doctor or nigger mammy. She make tea out of weeds, better'n quinine. She put string round our neck for chills and fever, with camphor on it. That sho' keep off diseases.  Us work all day till jus' 'fore dark. Sometimes us got whippin's. We didn't mind so much. Boss, you know how stubborn a mule am, he have to be whipped. That the way slaves is.  When you gather a bunch of cattle to sell they calves, how the calves and cows will bawl, that the way the slaves was then. They didn't know nothin' about they kinfolks. Mos' chillen didn't know who they pappy was and some they mammy, 'cause they taken 'way from the mammy when she wean them, and sell or trade the chillen to someone else, so they wouldn't git 'tached to they mammy or pappy.  Massa larn us to read and us reed the Bible. He larn us to write, too. They a big church on he plantation and us go to church and larn to tell the truth.  I seed some few run away to the north and massa sometime cotch 'em and put 'em in jail. Us couldn't go to nowhere without a pass. The patterrollers would git us and they do plenty for nigger slave. I's went to my quarters and be so tired I jus' fall in the door, on the ground, and a patterroller come by and hit me several licks with a cat-o-nine-tails, to see if I's tired 'nough to not run 'way. Sometimes them patterrollers hit us jus' to hear us holler.  When a slave die, he jus' 'nother dead nigger. Massa, he builded a wooden box and put the nigger in and carry him to the hole in the ground. Us march round the grave three times and that all.  I been marry once 'fore freedom, with home weddin'. Massa, he bring some more women to see me. He wouldn't let me have jus' one women. I have 'bout fifteen and I don't know how many chillen. Some over a hunerd, I's sho'. 

I 'member plenty 'bout the war, 'cause the Yankees they march on to Richmond. They kill everything what in the way. I heared them big guns and I's scart. Everybody scart. I didn't see no fight in', 'cause I gits out the way and keeps out till it all over. But when they marches right on the town I's tendin' hosses for massa. He have two hosses kilt right under him. Then the Yankees, they capture that town. Massa, he send me to git the buggy and hoss and carry missus to the mountain, but then Yankees they capture me and say they gwine hang that nigger. But, glory be, massa he saves me 'fore they hangs me. He send he wife and my wife to 'nother place then, 'cause they burn massa's house and tear down all he fences.  When the war over massa call me and tells me I's free as he was, 'cause them Yankees win the war. He give me $5.00 and say he'll give me that much a month iffen I stays with him, but I starts to Texas. I heared I wouldn't have to work in Texas, 'cause everything growed on trees and the Texans wore animal hides for clothes. I didn't git no land or mule or cow. They warn't no plantations divided what I knowed 'bout. Mos' niggers jus' got turn loose with a cuss, and not 'nough clothes to cover they bodies.  It 'bout a year 'fore I gits to Texas. I walks nearly all the way. Sometimes I git a li'l ride with farmer. Sometimes I work for folks 'long the way and git fifty cents and start 'gain. I got to Texas and try to work for white folks and try to farm. I couldn't make anything at any work. I made $5.00 a month for I don't know how many year after the war. Iffen the woods wasn't full of wild game us niggers all starve to death them days.  I been marry three time. First wife Eve Shelton . She run off with 'nother man. Then I marries Fay Elly . Us sep'rate in a year. Then I marry Parlee Breyle . No. I done forgot. 'Fore that I marries Sue Wilford, and us have seven gals and six boys. They all in New York but one. He stays here. Then I marries Parlee and us have two gals. Parlee die three year ago. The gov'ment give me a pension and I gits li'l odd jobs round, to get by. But times been hard and I ain't had much to eat the les' few years. Not near so good as what old massa done give me. But I gits by somehow.  I done the bes' I could, 'sidering I's turned out with nothin' when I's growed and didn't know much, neither. The young folks, they knows more, 'cause they got the chance for schoolin'.


I was born in Richmond Virginia, owned by George Davison when freed. I dunno my father's or mother's name. I had one sister named Felina Tucker . Our quarters were good, built out of pine logs with bed in one corner on the ground as our quarters didn't have floor or winders and only one door. I worked in the field all the time. My master had good home and he growed tobacco and he use us when he dried the tobacco. Master, he always had plenty to eat and he feed us good. He growed garden and had plenty meat. He had negro mammy and she cooked in great big pot. I liked fish the best, but master he wouldnt let us have fish very often. No sir, I never earned any money until after I was free. Sometime, master would give me nickle or dime, and I would spend it for candy. I'se warse than a kid after candy yet. Our clothes we wore old loyal clothes. Our shirt it opened all down the front. No sir, I never knew what shoes was until long after we was freed in the winter time master he gave us woolen clothes to ware. I married about year after the war, and my clothes was just trousers and blue shirt. Master and Mistress they were good white people and they were good to their black folks. They lived in a good home back in Virginia. It was big rock house with lots pretty trees all around it. The plantation, it was small. He didnt have moren than 100 acres and he didn't grow tobacco on moren than 30 acres. He waked up the slaves about 4 o'clock so's we could milk the cows feed the hogs he had big bunch hogs. He didn't have but two horses and he rides them most of the time. We worked all day until just before dark. We sometimes got whipping. We didn't mind. Boss, you know how a stubborn mule is, he have to be whipped some time that is the way the slaves was. He get stubborn and master he would give negro whipping.

Yessir, when you gather bunch of cattle to sell the calves, how the calves and cows will bawl, that is the way the slaves was then. They didn't know anything about their kinfolks. Most chilluns didn't know who their father was, and their mother, cause they would take them away from their mother when she weened them and sell or trade them to some one else so they wouldnt become attached to their children mother or father. Yesser, master he taught all the negroes how to read and write. Said he wouldn't have negro that couldnt read cause he would send them to places to get what he wanted and he had big church on the farm, and he takes us to church and he always taught us to tell the truth. Yessir, after master taught us to read and then we read the Bible. I'se remember ole brother Davison . He was brother to master. He always preach to us negroes, and he was always joking. So's we would like him. Yessir, he was good man, bless his sole. Yessir, back in Virginia they would runaway if they gets chance. Master he go after them and he would punish them by not letting them go anywhere and eat certain kind of grub. Son he would whip them with raw hide. Master he would give all pass that was good from one plantation to another. When slave became sick, master he would have doctor cause slave was we too much to let die if he could save him. My old mammy use charm to keep away sickness. Many used horse shoe charm tied a- round the neck to keep off all sickness. Boss if you will horse shoe around the neck you will never be sick. I'se remember plenty about the war cause the Yankees they march on to Richmond, Virginia, killing everything that get the way. Boss when they march on the town you couldn't hear any- thing cause I tend to horses for my master, he have too horses killed under him. Then the Yankees they capture the town. Yes- sir, Master he sent me to get the buggy and horse and carry mis- tress to the mountain, but the yankees they capture me and they say they going to hang negro. But glory be, master he saves us before they hang negro. He then send wife and my mistress to an- other place cause they burn master home and tare down all his fence. He called me when the war was over and tells me I'se free as he was cause they yankees they win the war that I could go where I pleased cause I was just as free as he was cause the yankees they win the war. Then he give me $5.00 master said he would give me work at $5.00 per month if I would stay with him but I started to Texas, cause they told me that I would have to work in Texas, that all man wanted to eat grow on trees and the Texans wore animal hides for clothes or they didnt ware clothes at all. I'se about a year before I'se get to Texas I walk nearly all the way sometimes I would ride with farmer. Sometimes I would work 2 or 3 days for people along the way and get 50 or 60 cents then I would start again. One time at night I lay in brush top asleep and I thought something was dragging me by the foot and I wake up and great big bear had me by the foot. I holler real loud cause I was scared the old bear he stop and drop my foot then jump up real quick and just fairly out run the bear and climb tree until the bear he get tired waiting till I come down and then he leaves after that I sleeps like owl, with one eye open all time. I'se been married three times. First time I'se marry Eve Shelton . She have home wedding just took up together then she run off with another man then I'se marry Fay Elly . We have preacher to marry us. We separates in about a year, then I marry Parlee Breyle . We have two children, two girls they are both farming. I live with one of them cause Parlee died 2 or 3 years ago. I'se likes slavery time, heep better than I'se do freedom, cause the master he was good to us. He feed us good some thing we dont get now. Yessir, I expected some land and a mule and cow instead we were turned out like a bunch of stray cattle without any help no education, not enought clothes to cover our bodies. We didn't get anything except a cuss. If we didn't work the white man whipped us, if we did work we got beat out of what we made, so we thought then but not like we do now. No sir, they were not any plantation divided. The white man give us whipping if we looked like we wanted anything. Boss, I tried to work for the white man for wages long after the war, then I tried to farm but I couldnt make anything at any kind of work. I received $5.00 per month for I dont know how many years after the war. Boss, after the war, things were lots different from what they is now. We didn't have all these new fangled things. Iffen the woods wasn't full of wild game the negro would have starved to death cause they wasnt near as many people as they is now. Negro he couldnt get anything except what white man he was workin for would let him have cause now the white man he has educated the negro, and the young one, they aint no count. They will even tell their old fold lie, they want tell the truth.

Yessir, boss, I'se seen the patter roller and the Klu Klux Klan. They come to my house one time boss, and ask me for drink of water. Them white ghost did yessir. I'se went to the well and get them water bucket full of water and one of them drink the whole bucket full of water and wanted more. I went and got him another bucket full and he drink that one plum full. I left and turned it over to them. If negro steal the KKK would get him. If negro didn't work, the KKK get him just the same. I'se going to vote one time, and when I got to town, boss, they was some of them white ghost walking roun there. They tell me not to vote and I sure let them alone. And I sure let them alone. Yes boss, some of my white brother hold office in Texas. I'se believe the white man ought to let us vote in the south. I'se believe our president is trying to remedy that cause the negro he got the same responsibility that the white man got since we turned out like a bunch of cattle. Then the negro he has become educated more so than the poor white man and he allowed to vote. Boss, I'se do anything except work on the farm for wages and on the halves. The government gives me pension and I'se get little odd jobs a round to get by. Boss, I thinks the times are cause the negro not to be any county. They gets beat out what they make. They want work and they want tell the truth, Lord have mercy on young ones. They are coming to be plum outlaw to their race and the white man too. Course they are few good negroes yet, one once in a while. Yessir, I'se seen some few run to the north boss. Master he would sometime go after slave and put him in jail. Cause he was too valuable to let go. They lost from $800. to $1500 hundred dollars when they get pass from their master to another plantation. Iffen we was caught on another plantation without pass the patter roller would get us and they would do plenty for negro slaves. Boss, I'se went to my quarter and be so tired I just fall in the door, on the ground and the patter roller would hit us with several licks with a whip called the cat of 9 tails to see if we was tired. Sometimes they would just get negro to see if he would holler.

No sir, master he would give us Saturday evening holiday to wash shave and clean up. Then on Sunday he would read and talk to us slaves about the Bible. On Sat. nights master he would give us pass to go see our woman and children then that worked real good all the week we sometime have tin pan beating and banjoying playing and negro dance. Boss, when negro die, he was just another dead negro. Master he built wooden box put negro in and we carry him to hole in ground and we march around grave three times while part covered his grave and that was all. Boss, we have ring games-all negro they ring up old and young then we catch negro boss, I believes they called it catch negro catch. Boss, then was good old day. Yes sir boss. I'se never seen ghost yet. I'se believes they are ghost cause after master die, one nite I'se steal chickens from mistress and master he come to the room at midnight long time after he died. He say negro, negro, I'se raised up in bed, and I say Master what you want and he went way, It skeered me, and I neber seen master no more. I run plum off and left him yessir. Our master he looked after the slave when they got sick cause they worth too much money to let die just like you do mule. He get doctor, when he could or some time he would go get negro mammy. She make tea out of weeds that sure is dose, it betterin than quinine. She put string round our neck for chills and fever with camphor on it and that sure will keep off all diseases. Yessir, I believe the war was terrible cause they shot them Kentucky hills flat. Master he killed in the war I'se cook for the soldiers, then the yankees whilest General Grant , they captures everything that got in front of them. Boss I picked up purty white soldiers until it got to be terrible. I heard them white soldiers hollerin and cry until I'se plum crazy. I'se seen them every night after I go to sleep, and some of them were just children.Boss, I'se been married once with home wedding. Then master he bring some more women to see me he wouldnt let me have just one woman. I'se have bout 15 boss I dunno how many chilluns I have. Last time I'se married to Sue Wilford . We have 13 children 7 girls and 6 boys. They all in New York save one he stays here. Sue, she die 20 years ago. Boss, I dunno how many grand children I have. Some over 100 I'se know.Yessir, I thought master would divide his land with us and give us a mule. Instead of that we were turned out like a stray bunch of cattle without anything to eat or wear. Well if master hadnt been afraid of the Yankees, he never would have freed us cause he cursed every breath. He didnt give us the clothes that we had when the war was over, made us stay and work them out at twenty five cents a day. And after the war it was almost impossible for the negro to get any thing to eat or wear. The white man sure was rough on us because he were mad cause the north freed us. It looked to us negroes like the north ought to have taken car of us, cause they first captured us brought us to this country and sold us in to slavery, then fought a war and freed the slaves, then turned us out to starve as the negro then was not anything but a brute like the cattle and horses of this day. He couldnt read and write, didnt know how to farm hisself. All he knew was what the white man made him do, and after the war all the negro knew was farm work. We most generally had to work for almost nothing. We received from $1.50 to $2.50 per month all the clothes we got was old clothes the white man wouldnt wear for long time after the war we never voted unless under compulsion to vote like our white man made us vote. If he could vote us like he wanted it was all right if not our grub was cut off, or we lost our job. I'se believe that since the negro has the same responsible that white man has we ought to have more voting privilige then the negro he has because we has become more educaed, in the ways of the world and free life if we can call life that now.The white man he work us for nothing in the south and lots of them beat us out of what we do make. All I'se ever did was farm and work as farm labor. The government now gives me a little pension and I gets some little jobs to get by. The younger people they aint no kount, cause they want tell the truth and they say no use to work cause the white man he beat us anyway, so they have been taught that if negro didn't steal from the white man he wouldnt never to go heaven. Boss, I believe if the negro could get anything like fair wage he would be pretty good negro today, if they was treated right.


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