I was born near Nashville, Tennessee, February 14, 1840. I's seen lots of things happen in my day, some good and some bad. My pappy's name was Jeff and my mammy's name was Mary . We was all property of old Marster Jesse Sumner . Now then, he had a great big place, most big as this whole county. He had big fields and he had lots of wood. Some of de men had to chop up wood nearly all de time in winter 'cause it sho' did get cold some of de time. I's goin' to tell you, you would nearly freeze sometimes, but dere was so many darkies dey all had to have fires, so it took lots of wood. In de winter time we would get up about what would be six in de mornin' now, and some would feed de stock, and some would milk de cows and some would do somethin' else. De same thing in summer, except we would get up about four o'clock 'stead of six, we was all busy, but we didn't have to work so hard. Now, after I was a good big boy, I was made stable and chore boy for Marster. When he wanted to ride a certain horse, he would say, 'Sam , bring me dat roan;' and I would be expected to have de horse at de front gate in ten minutes. But Marster was good to his slaves. Dere was some maybe that was mean, but not Marster Sumner , 'cause we had to work and do what we is told, but we could go play or do anything we wanted when we had done what we was told to. On Saturday we would not work, only what had to be done, den we would wash and iron our clothes and clean our huts and get ready for Sunday. On Sunday we would not get up so early, and den some of de darkies would go to church with de white folks and den some would go de next Sunday 'til all had been to church. De colored folks didn't have a church of der own, but dey should have had, 'cause dey was so many dey couldn't all get in. I know I's had to set in de carriage lots of times and den I would think the preacher would tell dem about all der was in de Bible, it would take him so long. Dey would sing "De Ole Ship of Zion" and "Amazin' Grace" and maybe others but dem two most.

We played some kind of games where we would all make a ring and catch hands, but I don't remember what dey is call. Some nights we would get out in de yard and dance jigs to see who could do it de funniest and we would catch hands and see how close we could come to each other's toes, without touchin'. De best time I know is when I would have a whole day off, den I would go out and hunt. I would get me a 'possum and a rabbit nearly every time. Um-m-m, 'possum and sweet 'taters! I wish I was dere now, and rabbit is mighty good too, but 'possum is best. I 'member Marster went to war once, and when he told us, we all cried, 'cause we knew he would be killed. I begged him to let me go too but he said no. He said we could do his work, but he would do his own fightin'. He said he would never let one that he was 'sponsible for take any chances for him, I cried but it wouldn't do no good. Miss told him when he left that it was no use 'cause dere was too much agin' him. He say that its his place and he would be a man about it. He was gone less'n two years, and when he come back we was done free. Dey was nearly all dere when he come back, but some had left. I wouldn't go 'way while he was gone, and I was de proudest nigger you ever saw. He asked me why I stayed and I told him my pappy had stayed and I had no where to go and I loved him and Miss, so I wouldn't go. He say he could not keep us without payin' us and he had no money, so we would have to go. My pappy he come to Texas and I come along and I is still here. Marster give me a horse and saddle and he give my pappy two mules and a wagon and he told pappy he could take what we had in de shack. I 'member one time de soldiers come and told Miss dey wanted some vegetables. She say she jes' had 'nough for ourselves, dey had on blue clothes, and Miss began to cry, and when dey had what dey wanted dey come back to de house and one of dem say, 'Madam,' and he took off his cap and bowed nearly to de ground, 'I is sorry to do 'dis, but we must eat, too. I hope you will not think that we is not gentlemens, 'cause we is. It is bad that we have to fight, but we fights no women, and we is not robbers. I hopes you forgive us, and since you can buy what we can't, I begs to leave dis for you,' and he gives Miss $20.00 of United States money, and after dey was gone Miss called me and say, 'Sam ,' she say, 'all de Yankees are not mean, 'cause I know dat one was a real man.' Was I glad to be free? Now, what difference do it make, I had to work for Marster and I has had to work since I was free. I's made a livin' since I was free and I had that before, so why should I care? Anyway my day is most over and I's goin' to shout when I meet Marster again. I is just waitin'.