Mollie Taylor , 84, living at 522 Seaton Street, Fort Worth, Texas, was born a slave to John Wilson , at Campbell, Texas. She helped around the house and worked in the field til the slaves were freed. After freedom she and her folks moved to adjoining farm and worked as share-croppers til she were about 24 or 25 years old. She then married Tom Gould and moved to McLennan County. About six months later she left him and worked around as housekeeper. Two years later she divorced Gould and married George Taylor and lived with him for about 12 years. She had four children born out of wedlock, only one is now living, Roxie Sheldon , with whom she now makes her home. Now den, I's no record of whin I's bo'n, jus' whut de w'ite folks tell me is all I's know. I's be 84 dis comin' October, jus' whut day I's bo'n, I's don' know. I's bo'n on Marster John Wilson's farm at Campbell, Texas. Marster Wilson , him also owned my father an' mother an' 'bout 20 mo' slaves. Der waz 'bout four or five chillen in we'ns family, but I's de only one living now. My father died whin I's purtty young an' I's don' 'member much 'bout him. Now we'ns git we'ns name from we'ns marster, my father name waz Anson Wilson an' my mother name waz Hattie Wilson . De slaves lived in log houses back of de marster's house. Dey waz two an' three room houses wid dirt floor, rock fireplace an' jus' holes fo' windows. De flies would come in de door an' go out de window, but most of 'em stayed in de house. Der waz no furniture lak der am today. No Sah, it waz only home made stuff. De bunks waz built 'gainst de wall an' full of straw or hay, an' de tables an' benches waz made of split logs. Der waz de cook room an' de eatin' room, whur all de slaves ate, between de slaves quarters an' de marster's house. Marster Wilson , him feed de slaves purtty good, as well as I's 'member. Der waz plenty of co'n meal, lasses, vegetables, meat, an' der waz all de milk, clabber an' coffee you' want. De marster would give we'ns w'ite flour twice a week an' den we'ns have biscuits, pies, an' cake. Marster Wilson bought sugar by de barrel so we'ns had all de sugar we'ns want. De slaves had der own gardens an' dey raised most of der eats. Der also waz plenty of hogs to kill so we'ns have meat most of de time. All de chillen ate out of wooden troughs wid wooden spoons. It waz a sight to watch 'em, dey waz jus' lak a bunch of pigs. De overse'er on de farm would ring a bell at 4:30 in de mornin' an' de slaves would git up an' wash an' go eat der breakfast, den dey would go to de fiel'. Dey wokked from daylight til dark, ever day except Sunday. De marster waz purtty reasonably wid de wokke. Der wasn't much foolishness an' de marster very seldom had to whip any of de slaves. De most of de whippun's I's git waz from my mother an' I's needed 'em. I's hear tell dat on de other farms 'round dere dat dey sometimes kill de slaves cause dey wouldn't wokke but I's never seen 'em do dat. Der wazn't no partys or dances on Marster Wilson's farm, but if de slaves wanted to go to de other farms fo' a party or dance, it waz alright wid de marster. I's don' 'member if dey had to have a pass to go or not, I's too young to go so I's don' know.

On Sunday mornin' de marster would let de ole slaves go to church. All de chillen stayed home an' played an' der wasn't no trouble wid 'em lak der am today. I's hear dat it waz a w'ite preacher dat preached to de slaves, I's don' guess der waz any cullud preachers in slavery. Whin dey gits back from church de women folks would wash an' patch de clothes. De men, dey jus' lay 'round de house an' sleep, sometimes dey would help de women wid de washin'. De chillen would play 'round de house or go play in de woods. Dey never trouble de ole folks lak dey do today. I's don' 'member 'bout de war, only dat der waz alot of soldiers always ridin' by de place all deck out in der uniform wid big shiny buttons on der coat. Whin de chillen saw de soldiers coming dey would tak to de woods an' der dey would stay til de soldiers waz out of sight. Whin de war waz over an' we'ns git de news dat we'ns free der waz alot of rejoicin' among de slaves. Der waz alot of shoutin' an' hollowin', de slaves would shout, "We'ns free, free to do as we'ns please. De marster told 'em dey could do as dey please, dat is if dey wanted to stay wid him or if dey wanted to go. Fter we'ns free, we'ns move to 'nuther farm next to Marster Wilson' s farm an' wokke as share-croppers. I's don' 'member whut de w'ite folks name waz dat owned de farm but we'ns stay der til I's 'bout 24 or 25 yea's ole. I's den marry Tom Gould an' move to a farm in McLennan County. Dat man waz so mean dat I's didn't live wid him very long. I's 'fraid dat he would wake up in de night an' cut my throat lak he did de stock whin he waz mad. 'Bout six months of dis foolishness an' I's ups an' leaves him. I's den wokke fo' de w'ite folks 'round der fo' 'bout two yea's. I's keep house, wash, iron, an' everthin' lak dat. Den I's git a divorce from Tom Gould an' marrys George Taylor . Der waz 'nuther mean man but not as mean as de first man. I's live wid dat man fo' 12 yea's an' tuk 'nuff of his foolishness, so I's leave him. I's had four chillen but Tom Gould or George Taylor wasn't de father of any of 'em, No Sah, I's jus' found 'em chillen. Charles Watson waz Roxie's father an' Roxie am de only chil dat I's got alive today, so I's stay wid her now dat I's too ole to stay by myself.