My mistress owned a beautiful home and three hundred twenty acres of land in the edge of Columbia, in South Carolina, just back of the state house. Her name was Mrs. Louisa Green and she was a widow lady. That's where I was born, but when her nephew, Dr. Edward Flemming , married Miss Dean , I was given to him for a wedding present, and so was my mother and her other children. I was a very small boy then, and when I was ten Dr. Flemming gave me to his crippled mother-in-law for a foot boy. She got crippled in a runaway accident. when her husband was killed. He had two fine horses, fiery and spirited as could be had. He called them Ash and Dash, and one day he and his wife were out driving and the horses ran the carriage into a big pine tree, and Mr. Dean was killed instantly, and Mrs. Dean couldn't ever help herself again. I waited on her. I had a good bed and food end was let to earn ten cent shin plasters. When the war was over she called up her five families of slaves and told us we could go or stay. Some went and some stayed. I was always an adventurer, wanting to see and learn things, so I left and went back to my mother with Mrs. Flemming . I only stayed there a few months and hired out to Major Legg , and worked for him several years. I felt I wasn't learning enough, so I joined the United States Army and with a hundred and eighty-five boys went to St. Louis, Missouri. From there we were transferred with the Tenth Cavalry to Fort Concho. I helped haul the lumber from San Antonio to finish the buildings at the fort. I was there five years. After I went to work at private employment I did some carpenter work, but most of the houses were adobe or pecan pole buildings. so I got a job from Mr. Jimmy Keating as mechanic for awhile, and then drifted to Mexico. Odd jobs were all I could get for awhile, so I landed in El Paso and got a job in a hotel That was the start of my success, for I learned to be a skilled chef and superintended the kitchens in some of the largest hotels in Texas. I made as high as $80.00, in Houston. My last work was done at the St. Angelus Hotel here in San Angelo and if you don't believe I'm a good cook, just look at my wife over there. When I married her she was fourteen years old and weighed a hundred and fifteen pounds. Now it's been a long time since I could get her on the scales, not since she passed the two hundred pound mark.

Mazique Sanco , one among the oldest citizens of San Angelo, was born a slave of Mrs. Louisa   Green in Columbia, South Carolina, February 10, 1849. Mazique with his mother and four other children were given as a wedding present to Mrs. Green's nephew, Dr. Edward Flemming , who married a Miss Dean . Her father was later killed by a run-a-way team, leaving her mother a cripple from the same accident and in need of a foot boy. Mazique , who was only 10 years old at this time served in this capacity until the close of the war when he went back to his mother and the other children who remained with their owners. Staying here only a short time he hired out to Major Legg and worked there three more years. On February 3, 1875, he enlisted in the U. S. Army and with 185 other boys went to St. Louis, Missouri. From there he was sent with the 10th Cavalry to Fort Concho (San Angelo, Texas) where he was stationed five years. After leaving the army he went to Mexico and worked at odd jobs until he went to El Paso, Texas where he learned the trade of cook. He became famous as a chef, working for some of the largest hotels in the state with salaries ranging from $12.50 to $80.00 per month. His last work was done in the St. Angelus Hotel (San Angelo, Texas). Unlike most of the colored people of his age Mazique has acquired a practical education which gives him a vocabulary of well spoken English equal to many of better educational advantages. He is very active and spends his time now on the river fishing or in his comfortable little home with his young wife. Inquiries for Mazique are always answered by his wife that he is in his office.

When asked where his office is she replies mirthfully, "On de river."  My Mistress, (the widow Green ) owned a beautiful home and about 320 acres of land in the edge of Columbia, South Carolina, just back of the state house. That's where I was born. She had over-seers or drivers but she was very kind in disciplining her slaves and they all loved her. A waiting boy who did errands. Paper money of small denomination. After my mother and the other children were given to Mrs. Flemming as a wedding present, we went to live with her. I was a very small boy then and only remained with my folks a short time. When I was ten years old my marster gave me to his crippled mother-in-law for a foot boy.* You see my marster's father-in-law, Mr. Dean had two very fine horses, fiery and spirited as could be had. He named them Ash and Dash and one day when he and his wife were out driving in their carriage the horses ran away. They ran into a big pine tree and Mr. Dean was killed instantly. Mrs. Dean was so badly crippled that she could never help herself again. I waited on her constantly and rode in her carriage every where she went. I always presented her cards of introduction when the occasion arose and was valued as a very polite and useful boy for my age. I stayed there until the war closed and was always treated well. We had good beds and food and I was allowed to earn 10 cent shin plasters,* shining shoes and fixing baths for the college students of the college which was located near our home. When the war was over my mistress called up her five families of slaves in her back yard and told us we were just as free then as she was and that we could go or stay. Some went and some stayed. I was always an adventurer wanting to get out and see and learn things so I left and went back to my mother and her other children who remained with Mrs. Flemming . I stayed there a few months and hired to Major Legg, working for him several years. I felt that I wasn't learning enough here so I joined the U. S. Army and with 185 other boys went to St. Louis, Missouri. From there we were transferred with the 10th Cavalry to Fort Concho. I helped haul the lumber from San Antonio to finish the buildings at the fort. I was there five years. After I went to work at private employment I did some carpenter work, but most of the houses were either adobe or pecan pole buildings, so I got a job from Mr. Jimmy Keating as mechanic for awhile and finally drifted from here to Mexico. Odd jobs were all I could get for awhile so I landed in El Paso, Texas and got a job in a hotel. This was the beginning of my success as I learned to be a skilled chef and my services were very much in demand. I have cooked and superintended the kitchens in some of the largest hotels in the state. The highest salary I ever drew was $80.00 per month in Houston, Texas. My last work was done at the St. Angelus Hotel here in San Angelo and if you don't believe I'm a good cook just look at my wife over there. When I married her she was 14 years old and weighed 115 pounds. Now it has been a long time since I could get her to weigh, not since she passed the 200 pound mark.