Texas Slave Narratives

Texas Slave Narrative

  Jennie Fitts

Jennie Fitts , over 80 years of age, was born a slave to Mr. Glen Fisher . He farmed in Angelina Co., and owned Jennie's father and mother. While still a child, she was given to Miss Annie Fisher to serve as her maid. She spent the early part of her life in this capacity. The time the Emancipation Act became effective was the most outstanding event in the Civil War to her, nothing else was considered noteworthy. She then left the Fisher family to live with her parents until she married Steve West in 1867. He died 4 years after their marriage. In 1881, she married Charles Fitts , only to divorce him in 1925. She did housework for white people most of her life until four years ago, her eyesight failed her completely.

Ise knows dat Ise past 80 yeahs ol' 'cause whens de wah stahts, Ise hab been giben to Missy Annie Fisher , by de Marster. Ise can membah whens de Marster takes me to Missy Annie and sez,  Ise gibin you to Missy, You jest do what she tells you to. Aftah dat Ise 'membah dem talkin' 'bout de wah but dis nigger hab no bad time durin' de wah dat Ise 'membah. Dere wah makes no diff'ent to me.  Ise wid Missy Annie alls de time and 'tend to her. Ise wid her night and day, Ise sleeps at de foot ob her bed. Ise keeps de flies off her wid de fan, gets her drink and sich, goes places fo' to get things fo' her. When she am ready to go to sleep, eber night, Ise rub her feet. Ise sho tend to Missy.  Marster Fisher hab 'bout thurty slaves. Ise 'spect dat he was good to dem, 'cause my mammy and pappy neber sez tudder wise. Ob 'cose Ise hab alls Ise wants to eat, 'cause Ise gets de same dat Missy hab and Ise hab all de clothes Ise need. Missy Annie lots times sez,  Ise sho am goin' to take care ob my nigger." She sho did.  Ise 'membah whens de wah am ober and weuns am set free. Two white mans comes and stands on de porch and reads de paper. Ise don't know whats dat means. De yard am full ob niggers and aftah de mans am done readin', some ob de niggers sez, singin' like,  Weuns am free, weuns am free," and dey goes to dere cabbins.  Aftah freedom, lots ob de niggers move off. My Mammy and Pappy moves too, dey goes to de place dey hab rented and wurks de lan' fo' demselves. Ise stays wid Missy Annie . Ise wid her till Ise am a big womans.  Aftah Ise leb Missy, Ise goes to my fo'ks and dere Ise stay till Ise mai'ied, twas 'bout 1867. Ise mai'ied Steve West . Weuns libed at Alto on de fahm. He died foah yeahs aftah weuns war mai'ied. Hims and Ise hab no chilluns.  Aftah ten yeahs, Ise comes to Fo't Wo'th and Ise mai'ied de second husband. His name am Charles Fitts . Weuns hab two chilluns, one died and tudder am mai'ied. Ise gets divo'sment f'om my second husband 'bout twelve yeahs ago. He's a no 'count nigger. De last few yeahs hes gets so dat whens hes gets his pay, he gets drunk and shoots craps. Ise hab to wurk alls de time fo' to keep vittles in de house. Shucks, Ise runs him off, wha' fo' Ise wants dat nigger?   Ise wurk fo' de white fo'ks alls de time till Ise gets blind. Dat am foah yeahs ago. Now Ise gets de pension ob twelve dollahs eber month and Ise libs here wid my son-in-law. 

Fishin', sho Ise likes to do dat, its my best fun. De best time fo' to fish am in de light ob de moon, but Ise go ebber chance Ise gets. Worms am de best bait.  What am de biggest fish Ise catch? Ise don't know 'cause Ise 'fused to catch him. You see, twas dis away. My husband and Ise am a fishin' at Lake Wo'th when alls at once somethin' takes dat hook. Ise sho 'twarnt a fish, fo' de fish kaint pulls like dat. Ise hollo fo' my husband, he comes and takes de pole, den Ise runs 'cause Ise skeert. Ise heard ob de sea-cow and sich am in de wurter. Ise thot somethin' like dat am on de hook, but twarnt, it am a big catfish. Dat fish am 'bout fo'ty pounds. Weuns gibs lots away to fo'ks and hab lots fo' our eats. Ise kaint goes fishin' now 'cept when somebody takes me. Ise don't likes to be blind, but dat am de Lawds will and he has de reason fo' to make me blind. Ise trust in de Lawd.


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