Ida Nelson

Ida Nelson keeps house for her son and looks after his children, whose mother is dead. She resides at 615 Barwise Street. Ida is a tall, neat appearing Negro woman. She tried very hard to get her story accurate in every little detail.

I was born in Milan County, Texas, in 1867, on a plantation belonging to H. F. Smith . This was aftah the wah was ovah with. Papa like t' tell 'bout th' time he was a slave on the Davis Plantation. He went to th' wah with his young massa Robert Davis   to cook fo' him. He like t' tell 'bout th' time when he was a-driving a float long about where th' fightin' was a-goin' on. Bullets a-comin' so thick an' fas' papa jump off th' float and run behin' a pecan tree. Th' cannons was a-roarin' an' th' wind was a-blowin'. Papa put his ahms 'roun' that pecan tree an' hel' on tight. Pretty soon one of them bullets hit his han' an' lodged in one o' his fingers. Well, he nevah would have it took out. He said it was a token. Papa tell us 'bout lots o' things it happen. Said he was in a hospital in ol' Virginia 'bout eleben months. When he lef' th' gen'l give him a pass an' a hoss t' ride. Evertime he come t' a row of soldiers he haf' t' present that pass. Finally he got back to Texas an' Marse Davis . Then th' nex' followin' year the wah was ovahwith. My father an' my mother come from Mississippi as slaves. Papa's firs' wife died while he was in th' army. He an' mama married nex' year aftah peace was declahed. They was ole when they died. Papa was one-hundred-two and mama ninety-seven. They lived together until they died. Papa came from Mississippi with Marse Robert Davis , an' settled near Calvert, Texas. He fought somewheres in Texas. I come to Wichita Falls in 1915. I had a girl fifteen yeahs ole. I cook a long time fo' Mrs. M. M. Addicks , an' then fo' others. Papa an' mama came out here t' live with me long yeahs ago. Evah two weeks some o' th' ladies would come ovah and bring him a nice basket or booget (budget) of some sort. I give him a birthday dinner evah yeah. Th' last yeah there was one-hundred-two candles on the cake. Sev'l o' the' ladies come t' the' dinner. Mrs. A. H. Carrigan was there.