Texas Slave Narratives

Texas Slave Narrative

  Albert Henderson

I was born in Nevel, Kentucky. I am now 95 years old. My masters name was George Sowell and traded to another man named Elson , then I was sold to Albert Henderson . I was brought to Texas when I'se small. I dunno what fathers name was as I'se a stray found in the woods. My mother's name was Lucendy Oll . I'se never had no brother or sister that I know. I dunno anything about our quarters in Kentucky but here in Texas we had real good quarters. One room for the men slaves built out long logs with bed in one corner fixed with deer hides then corn shucks throwed over that. I'se did all kinds of farm work, plowed chop cotton, pick cotton, then boss I'se split rails to fence our farm over there in Houston County. No sir, I never earned any money when I was slave, though master would get me candy and things like that. I'se drive him nearly ever where he went. He was a large man and he got drunk lots times and them wild horses would run away with him. We had plenty to eat. Master kill hog once a month and we cook that, corn bread, no flour bread. They didnt know what flour was them days. Son the first time I ever was at Crockett there wasnt nothing there. I'se remember lots times when General Sam Houston would come and stay all night with master. They were great friends and I'se unsaddled and saddled General Houston's horses lots times. Master he was government man. We cooked our grub in big old flat skillet except when master kill hog or deer then we pile it all in wash pot and cook it come time. Sometime we roast our meat over a great big pile coals. We wore loyal clothes in warm weather. Master he would tan lots hides in the ashes and we would ware them in cold weather. Master he made all the shoes we ware out of tan cow hides. On Sunday when I'se got to drive master, I'se have white pair loyal breeches to ware on. My wedding clothes they were loyal breeches, white then I'se have white loyal shirt and red tie around my neck. Master he was great big man and mistress Sally she was little woman. They have two sons, John and master Tom . They were the meanest little devils that ever were when they was round they wouldnt let this here old negro rest a tall. Them there white boys they were doing something all the time and Mistress Sally she would whip them, but they were white boys and they had done and gone and done them very same things again. We always had Saturday to clean up then master he was always going somewhere Saturday and Sunday and we could do as we pleased just so we didnt leave the place. In case master wanted us we must be there. Master he lived in a four room log house and he make us negro get sticks and nail over them there cracks. He had a big hall in it. The floors was old mother earth. No winders, just one door to the room with deer hides nailed over them to keep out the cold and rain. Master had a big plantation. Nearly five hundred acres, but he never farmed but jest enough for garden and a little corn. He hired me out to other farms. That is where I chop and pick cotton. I'se the only slave he had for a long time.

Jest fore the war he gits another slave to help Mistress Sally in the house and to stay with her cause he was gone lots. Master he never did whip me or speak a cross word to me as long I stay with him, but I'se seen a few slaves whipped. They were whip jest like you would an old stubbering mule. I'se seen lots slaves sold. Master he was government man a long time. The slaves would holler and bawl jest like a bunch of cattle that you were taking the calves from. I'se seen lots slaves sold. I'se seen slave one time in chains, he had killed his over seer and his master had sold him and they was taking him to another state. He beg me to come that night and saw his chains off so he could get away. He told me he wanted to go to Africa. Now he thought he could get to Africa and they wouldnt bother him no more. But I'se afraid to help that negro cause they said he was mean. My master he taught me how to read and write my name, sos when he wanted anything he could send me lots times when he couldnt go. Master he would some times go to church but he told me that was all hooey that they was not such thing as a God. That was all tom foolery, but boss, I'se lived long enough that I'se believes they is a God, don't you? They was several slaves run to the north, and master he would go get them and bring them back to their owners. We had to have pass before we could go from one plantation to another that was the only way we could go. If we went and slipped off without pass the patter roller they would get us but boss I'se slipped off lots times and the patter roller they failed to catch me, but they have caught lots of negro slipping off and they would get 39 licks the first time the next time it was double. The first time boss, when I'se went to bed in my quarters, and after the patter roller had been by, then I would gits up and slips off, and prowl around until jest before day. On Saturday nites the slave always had dance somewhere close and if master wasnt there at home mistress Sally she would give me pass so I could go and have good time. I'se heard tell of them there ghosts, but I'se never saw one. I'se was one of them there horse riders. I could ride the wildest horse that ever come to that county. Master he would bring lots wild horses for me to brake in, then he would get so much for me genteling that horse. I'se remembers one time I'se riding a wild horse and he went right under some limbs and cause me to get throwed. I'se went right in a wagon wheel and knocked out three front teeth. When I'se get sick master he always had the doctor he thought I was worth too much money to let die cause at one time he was offered two thousand dollars for me and he would not sell me to that man, and I'se sure glad for that man was mean to his slaves. Captain Will McClain , he jest as soon kill a slave as look at one. He didnt care. Master he have the doctor to fix me something that was the worst stuff that I'se ever swallowed in all my life. I got to playing off and making out like I was sick lots times when I wasnt so he wouldnt make me work that day, but he soon learnt then he would fix me sos I wish I hadnt.

I remember plenty about the war. Master he carried me along as driver and water boy and when them shell began to bust he have to watch me cause I would be under the horse or behind trees. Master he never did go in to battle he would stay behind and he had bunch of negroes to bury them what was kilt. Then I'se gets smart and went over across the line to the other side where the negro was and master he had to come get me cause they wanted to capture me but he persuaded them to let me and when General Lee gave up the war and quit fighting master he called me to him and he say Albert , you are a free man, you can do as you please. I asked him what I was going to do and he told me that he would hire me on just like I was and he would give me eats and clothes, jest like he had done before and would pay me $2.50 a month. But boss, I'se didnt see any money whilest I stayed with him. I'se work for him two or three years after the war then I marry Lucie White . I'se have big wedding. I'se steal her and we goes to Palestine on horse back and get married. But Lucie had done gone and left me about ten years ago. I live with my son. We had six children, four girls and two boys. They are all doing very well, they all farming save one. She working in hotel in Dallas. I'se dont know how many grand children, I'se thinks about thirty. I has one son who is 67 years old, and he has grand children. My oldest son he is old enough to draw pension from the government. My youngest daughter is 50 years old and better, I'se dont know exactly how old but she has grown and married children herself. Boss, I'se never exactly expected that my master land would be divided but you know that I was expecting a better deal than we got. You know they turned us a lose without anything, no clothes, nothing to eat, no houses to go in and the worse part not even trained to farm for ourselves and that was about all the negro slave could do or expect to do and then the white men had to oversee us. You just think about turning out a bunch of poor dogs to rustle for their living while they would have been better off than the old slave negro of the south. Some of us got to stay with our white people and some were turned out.  Yessir, I'se had several friends amongst the white people thats helds offices, such as General Houston then master he was officer of the law for a long time but he never would let me vote cause he said the KKK would beat up another negro so's I'se never have voted, but I think the negro ought to be allowed to vote now because they have become more and more educated and brighter, and the white people they wont let negro vote in lots of cases, but negro has to shoulder the sa load that the white man has to. I think we have a pretty good young people in a way. They have had pretty ruff treatment at times cause they never could go thro with what these here old time people have. They have become more educated than we was and they realize that the white people beat them ever chance they get if the younger negro race received fair treatment and could get anything for what they do, we would have an industrious race of negroes.


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