Texas Slave Narratives

 

 

 

 

Texas Slave Narrative

  Wash Ingram

Wash Ingram , a 93 year old Negro, was born a slave of Capt. Jim Wall , of Richmond, Va. His father, Charley Wall Ingram , ran away and secured work in a gold mine. Later, his mother died and Capt. Wall sold Wash and his two brothers to Jim Ingram , of Carthage, Texas. When Wash's father learned this, he overtook his sons before they reached Texas and put himself back in bondage, so he could be with his children. Wash served as water carrier for the Confederate soldiers at the battle of Mansfield, La. He now lives with friends on the Elysian Fields Road, seven miles southeast of Marshall, Texas.

I don' know just how ole I is. I was 'bout 18 when de war was over. I was bo'n on Captain Wall's place in Richmond, Virgini'. Pappy's name was Charlie and mammy's name was Ca'line . I had six sisters and two brothers and all de sisters is dead. I haven't heard from my brothers since Master turn us loose, a year after de war. Pappy say dat he and mammy was sold and traded lots of times in Virgini'. We always went by de name of whoever we belonged to. I first worked as a roustabout boy dere on Capt. Wall's place in Virgini'. He was she' a big man, weighed more'n 200 pounds. He owned lots of niggers and worked lots of land. The white folks was good to us, but Pappy was a fightin' man and he run off and got a job in a gold mine in Virgini'. After pappy run away, mammy died and den one day de overseer headed up a big bunch of us niggers and driv us to Barnun's Tradin' Ta'd down in Mississippi. Dat's a place where day sold and traded Niggers jus' lak stock. I cried when Capt. Wall sold me, 'cause dat was one man dat he' was good to his niggers. But he had too many slaves. Cotton was a good price den and dem slave buyers had plenty of money. We was sold to Jim Ingram of Carthage. He bought a big gang of slaves and refugeed part or 'em to Louisiana and part to Texas. We come to Texas in ex wagons. While we was on the way, camped at Keachie, Louisiana, a man come ridin' into camp and someone say to me, 'Wash , dar's your pappy.' I didn' believe it 'cause pappy was workin' in a gold nine in Virgini'. Some of de man told pappy his chillen is in camp and us come and fin' me and my borators. Den he jine Master Ingran's slaves so he can be with his chillen. Master Ingram had a big plantation down near Carthage and lots of niggers. He also buyed land, cleared it and sol' it. I plowed with oxen. We had a overseer and sev'ral taskmasters. Dey whip de niggers for not workin' right, or for runnin' 'way or pilferin' roun' master's house. We woke up at four o'clock and worked from sunup to sundown. Dey give us an hour for dinner. Dem dat work roun' de house et at tables with plates. Dem dat work in de field was drove in from work and fed jus' like houses at a big, long wooden trough. Dey had to eat with a wooden spoon. De trough and de food was clean and always plenty or it, and we stood up to eat. We went to bed soon after supper durin' de week for dat's 'bout all we feel like doin' after workin' twelve hours. We slep' in wooden beds what had corded rope mattresses.  We had to learn de best way we could, 'cause dere was no schools. We had church out in de woods. I didn' see no money till after de surrender. Guess we didn' need any, 'cause dey give us food and clothes and tobacco. We didn' have to buy nothin'. I had broadcloth clothes, a blue jean overcoat and good shoes and boots. De niggers had heap better times dan now. Now we work all time and can't git nothin'. Sat'day night we would have parties and dance and play ring plays. We had de parties dere in a big double log house. Dey would give us whiskey and wine and cherry brandy, but dere wasn' no shootin' or gamblin'. Dey didn' 'low it. De men and women didn' do like dey do now. If dey had such carryin's on as dey do now, de white folks would have whipped 'em good. I 'member dat war and I sees dem cannons and hears 'em. I toted water for de soldiers what fought at de Battle of Mansfield. Master Ingram had 350 slaves when de war was over but be didn' turn us loose till a year after surrender. He telled us dat de gov'ment goin' to give us 40 acres of land and a pair of mules, but we didn' git nothin'. After Master Ingram turn us loose, pappy bought a place at De Berry, Texas, and I live with him till after I was grown. Den I marry and move to Louisiana. I come back to Texas two years ago and lived with my friends here ever since. My wife died 18 years ago and I had a hard time 'cause I don' have no folks, but I's managed to git someone to let me work for somethin' to eat, a few clothes and a place to sleep.


Wash Ingram , a 93 year old Negro man, was born a slave of Captain Jim Wall , of Richmond, Virginia. His father, Charley Wall Ingram , ran away from Captain Wall and secured work in a gold mine. After his father left, his mother died during Wash's early childhood. Later, Captain Wall sold Wash and his two brothers to Jim Ingram of Carthage, Texas. They were refugeed with a large group of other slaves to the Ingram plantation near Carthage. Wash's father heard of his children being sold and overtook the refugees before they reached Texas and put himself back in bondage, under Jim Ingram , because of his devotion to his children. Wash served as water carrier for the Confederate soldiers in the battle of Mansfield, La. He remained a slave of Ingram until a year after the war, when he moved with his father to a farm near DeBerry, Texas. He lived with his father until after he was grown, when he married and moved to Louisiana. He had five children, none of whom are now living. His wife died eighteen years ago. After marrying, he always lived in Louisiana until two years ago, when he came to Harrison County, Texas. Since that time he had lived with friends, who now live seven miles southeast of Marshall on the Elysian Fields Road. He still works in the field, hoeing and picking cotton, etc., to pay for his meals, a few clothes and a place to sleep. He has never been on relief or applied for an old age pension. I don't know just how ole I is. I was 'bout eighteen when de war was o'er. I was bo'n on Capt. Wall's place in Richmond, Virgini'. Pappy's name was Charlie and Mammy's name was Caroline . I had six sisters and two brothers. All de sisters are dead, and I haven't heard from my brothers since Master turn us loose, a year after de war. Pappy say dat he and mammy was sold and traded lots in Virgini'. We always went by de name of whoever we belonged to. I first worked as a roust-a-bout boy dare on Capt. Wall's place in Virgini'. I 'member Master Wall; he was sho' a big man, weighed more dan 200 pounds. He owned lots of Niggers and worked lots of land. His white folks was good to us. Pappy was a fightin' man. He run off and git a job in the 'Gold Mine' dare in Virgini'. Dey called him 'Gole Mine Charley '. After Pappy run away, Mammy died dare on Capin' Wall's place. Den one day de overseer herd up a big bunch of us Niggers and driv us to Barnum's Tradin' Yard down in Mississippi. Dat's a place whar' dey sold and traded Niggers jes' lak stock. I cried when Cap'n Wall sole me', cause dat was one man dat was sho' good to his Niggers. But he had too many slaves. Cotton was a good price den and dem slave buyers had plenty of dat Dago and Jew money. We was sole to Jim Ingram of Carthage. He bought a big gang of slaves and refugeed part of 'em to Louisiana and part to Texas. We come to Texas in ox-wagons. While we was camped at Keachie, Louisiana, a man come ridin' into camp and someone say to me,  Wash , dar's your Pappy.  I didn't believe it 'cause Pappy was working in a Gole mine in Virgini' when we left Mississippi. Some of de men tell Pappy dat his chil'ren is dar in camp, and he come and fin' me and my brothers. Den he jine Master Ingram slaves so he can be with his chil'ren. Master Ingram had a big plantation down near Carthage, and own lots of niggers. He also buy land, clear it, and den sell it. I plowed a day with oxen. I didn't think I ever plow with mules. We had an overseer and several taskmasters. De taskmasters whip de Niggers for not workin' right. Some of dem was as wild as animals and had to be whipped hard. De overseer whip us for runnin' away or for pileferin' 'round Master's house. Dey wake up at fo' 'clock and we work from sunup 'til sundown. Dey gif us an hour for dinner. Dem dat work 'round de house would eat at tables, and had plates. Dose dat worked in de fiel' was drove in from work and fed jes' lak horses at a big, long wooden truff. Dey had to eat with a wooden spoon. De truff and de food was clean, and dar was allus plenty of food. Dem what et at de truff had to stand up. We go to bed soon after supper durin' de week. Dat's bout all we feel lak doin' after workin' twelve hours. We slep in wooden beds what had corded-rope mattresses. De Niggers had to learn de best way dey could, 'cause there was no schools. We had church out in de woods, and had some good meetin's fore de war. I didn't see no money til after de surrender. Guess we didn't need any 'cause dey give us food, clothes, and t'bacco. We didn't have to buy nothin'. I had broadcloth clothes, a blue-jeen overcoat, and good shoes and boots. De Niggers had been better time den now. Now we work all time and can't git nothin'. Sat'day night we would have parties and dance and play ring plays. We had de parties dare in a big double log house. Dey would give us whiskey, wine and cherry brandy, but dare wasn't no shootin' or gamblin'. Dey didn't allow it. De men and women didn't do lak dey do now. If dey had such carryins'-on as dey do now, de white fo'ks would have whipped dem good. I 'member dat war, and I see dem soldiers and hear dem cannons. I toted water for de soldiers what fought at de Battle of Mansfield. Master Ingram had 350 slaves when de war was over but he didn't turn us loose till a year after surrender. He tell us dat de gov'nment goin' to give us forty acres of land and a pair of mules, but we didn't git nothin'. After Master Ingram turn us loose, Pappy bought a place at De Berry, Texas, and I live with him til' after I was grown. Den I marry and move to Louisiana. I came back to Texas two years ago and live with my friends here ever since. My wife died eighteen years ago, and I had a hard time 'cause I don' have no fo'ks. But I'se managed to git someone to let me work fer somethin' to eat, a few clothes and a place to sleep.

 


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