Texas Slave Narratives

 

 

 

 

Texas Slave Narrative

  Carter J. Jackson

Carter J. Jackson , 85, was born in Montgomery, Alabama, a slave of Parson Dick Rogers . In 1863 the Rogers family brought Carter to Texas and he worked for them as a slave until four years after emancipation. Carter was with his master's son, Dick , when he was killed at Pittsburgh, Pa. Carter married and moved to Tatum in 1871. 

If you's wants to know 'bout slavery time, it was Hell. I's born in Montgomery, ever yonder in Alabama. My pappy named Charles and come from Florida and mammy named Charlotte and her from Tennessee. They was sold to Parson Rogers and brung to Alabama by him. I had seven brothers call Frank and Benjamin and Richardson and Anderson and Miles , Emanuel and Gill , and three sisters call Milanda , Evaline and Sallie , but I don't know if any of 'em are livin' now.  Parson Rogers come to Texas in '63 and brung 'bout 42 slaves and my first work was to tote water in the field. Parson lived in a good, big frame house, and the niggers lived in log houses what had dirt floors and chimneys, and our bunks had rope slats and grass mattress. I she' wish I could have cotch myself sleepin' on a feather bed them days. I wouldn't wake up till Kingdom Come.  We et vegetables and meat and ash cake. You could knock you mammy in the head, eatin' that ash cake bread. I ain't been fit since. We had hominy cooked in the fireplace in big pots that ain't bad to talk 'bout. Deer was thick them days and we sot up sharp stubs inside the pea field and them young bucks jumps over the fence and stabs themselves. That the only way to cotch them. 'cause they se wild you couldn't git a fair shot with a rifle.  Massa Rogers had a 300 acre plantation and 200 in cultivation and he had a overseer and Steve O'Neal was the nigger driver. The horn to git up blowed 'bout four o'clock and if we didn't fell out right now, the overseer was in after us. He tied us up every which way and whip us, and at night he walk the quarters to keep us from runnin' 'round. On Sunday mornin' the overseer come 'round to each nigger cabin with a big sack of shorts and give us 'nough to make bread for one day.  I used to steal some chickens, 'cause we didn't have 'nough to eat, and I don' think I done wrong, 'cause the place was full of 'em. We she' earned what we et. I'd go up to the big house to make fires and lots of times I seed the mantel board lined with greenbacks, 'tween mantel and wall and I's snitched many a $50.00 bill, but it 'federate money.  Me and four of her chillen standin' by when mammy's sold for $500.00. Cryin' didn't stop 'em from sellin' our mammy 'way from us.  I 'member the war was tough and I went 'long with young massa Dick when he went to the war, to wait on him. I's standin' clost by when he was kilt under a big tree in Pittsburgh, and 'fore he die he ask Wes Tatun , one the neighbor boys from home, to take care of me and return me to Massa George .  I worked on for Massa Rogers four year after that, jus' like in slavery time, and one day he call us and say we can go or stay. So I goes with my pappy and lives with him till 1871. Then I marries and works on the railroad when it's builded from Longview to Big Sandy, 'bout 1872. I works there sev'ral years and I raises seven chillen. After I quite the railroad I works wherever I can, on farms or in town.


Carter J. Jackson , of Tatum, Texas, was born a slave of Parson Dick Rogers , on March 10, 1852. He came to Texas with the Rogers in 1863 and continued to work for them as a slave until four years after surrender. He accompanied his young Master Dick Rogers, Jr. to the war and was with him when he was killed at Pittsburg, Penn. Wes Tatum , a friend of the Rogers , brought him back to Texas and returned him to the Rogers plantation after the war. He was freed at Tatum four years later. He married and moved to his-self in 1871, having lived in and near Tatum since. "If youse want to know 'bout slavery time, 'It was Hell'. I was bo'n in Montgomery, Alabama, March 10, 1852 as a slave of Parson Dick Rogers, Sr . My father was named Charles and come from Florida. Mammy was named Charlotte and come from Tennessee. They was sold to Parson Rogers and brought to Alabama. I had seven brothers; Frank , Benjamin , Richardson , Anderson , Miles , Emanuel and Gill , and three sisters: Milanda , Evaline and Sallie . I don't know if any of them are still living. Parson Rogers come to Texas in '63 and brought forty-two slaves with him. My first work was to tote water to the other fo'ks what worked in the fiel'. Parson Rogers lived in a good big frame house, and the slaves lived in log huts what had dirt floors and chimneys.

We slep' on bunks that had rope slats and grass mattress. I sho wish I could have cotch myself sleepin' on a feather bed them days, I wouldn't woke up till Kingdom come. We et vegetables, meat and ash-cake. You' could knock your Mammy in the head eatin' that ash cake bread. I haven't been fit since. We had hominy that was cooked on the fire place in big pots that ain't bad to talk about. Deer was thick them days. We set up sharp stobs on the inside of the pea fiel' and them young bucks would jump over the fence and stab themselves. That's the only way to catch them as they was so wild you could hardly get a fair shot with a rifle. We got everything from the boss. We take the old clothes of the white fo'ks and fix them up the best we could. They give us home-spun clothes, too, and shoes. They stayed with you better than clothes we get now. Master Rogers had a 300 acre plantation with 200 acres in cultivation. He had a overseer, and Steve O'Neal was the "Niggerdriver". The horn to get up blowed at four o'clock and if we didn't fall out right now the overseer was in after us. He tie the slaves every which way and whip them. At night he walked the quarters to keep the Niggers from running 'round. We took off at noon, but just long nuff to snatch a bit of grub and get back to the fiel'. On Sunday morning the overseer come 'round to each house with a big sack of shorts and give the Niggers enough to make bread for that day. They giv' us a chicken to a family on Sunday, but Mammy had chicken more often than that. I'd steal two or three a week. I don't think I done wrong, cause the place was full of them and Niggers sho earned what they et. That warn't all I took. I'd go up to Masters to make the fires, and lots of times I'se seen the mantle board lined with greenback, sticking between the mantle and wall. I'se "snitched" many $50.00 bills. It was Confederate munny. Master never did cotch me, I saw to that. Me and four of the other chil'ren was standing by when Mammy was sold for $500.00. Forty-two others was sold at the same time. Crying didn't stop them from selling the mammy away from her chil'ren.

There was a chu'ch 'bout a mile off the place, but we didn't go much. Master Rogers had a "pintment" (appointment) at Minden every Sunday. He rode horseback and left off Saturday. On Friday he call the slaves together and preach to them. He tole us not to steal or be sassy and obey our Master and Mistress. But he jest as well tell me to fly as to say not to steal. If I find a guinea's nest that settle it. The overseer didn't whip us but he reported us to Master and he whipped us. We got off light I suppose. I hear some Niggers say they got 500 lashes at a beating. Co'n shucking was something to talk 'bout in them days. We hauled co'n for weeks and pile it in the fiel' in wind rows. Then the Masters from all round come with their darkies and shuck for nights and days at a time. If we got a crib where there was a barrel of whiskey on top of the co'n, we could make them shucks fly getting to that whiskey. They let us drink, but no one got drunk. They kep' plenty of eats on hand and we could eat when we was hungry. Sometimes we had parties at the co'n shuckings, and have some good fights, but no one was killed. The best man whipped and other one took it. They matched fights between the Niggers from the different plantations. The Masters of the two fighting managed the fight to see it was fair. If we was sick with anything sides chills, Master took us up to the "sick-house" close to where he lived to wait on us. Mistress was a good doctor and nurse and give us "Blue Mass" and "Quinine". Lots of the darkies wore asfidity bags to keep off measles and sich like. I 'member that the War was tough.

I went long with Young Master Dick Rogers when he went to the war, to wait on him. I was standing close by when he was killed under a big tree in Pittsburg. 'Fore he died he ask Wes Tatum , one of his neighbor boys from home, to take care of me and return me to Master Rogers . I wo'ked on fer Master Rogers four years after the war just like in slavery time. One day Master called us up and tell us we is free and that we can go or stay. I left with my father and lived with him until 1871, when I married. I worked on the railroad when it was built from Longview, Texas to Big Sandy, 'bout 1872. There was only one store at Longview then. I married in 1878, and my wife died sho'tly and I married again the next year. I'se raised seven chil'ren and five of them is still living.


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