"I's born on Massa McGowen's plantation. He name was Andrew McGowen and us lived near Huntsville, down in Walker County. All my folks and grandfolks was dere. Grandpap am carpenter, grandma am nuss for cullud chillen, and pappy and…

"I's really owned by Massa Stafford Barrett, but my mammy 'longed to Massa Ben Walker and was 'lowed to keep me with her. So after we'uns got free, I lives with my daddy and mammy and goes by de name of Barrett. Daddy's…

"Massa Steve Glass, he own my pappy and mammy and me, until the war freed us. Pappy's borned in Africy and mammy in Virginy, and brung to Texas 'fore de war, and I's borned in Texas in 1851. I's heered my grandpa was wild and…

I was born in Walker County ten or twelve years before the war between the States. My father’s name was Alex Brown. He was captured in Africa and brought over to America when he was young. Mother's name was Allie Sue Bradson before she married.…

"I was born in the state of Kentucky, in 1840. I came to Texas when I was three years of age. My mother, Kitty McKem, and three sisters came with me. We came with a man by the name of McKem. We located in Fort Bend County, only stayed there a…

"Back in slavery time, the first time the padderrollers got hold of a negro he would git 30 licks with that red-heifer. When we went to our quarters at night it would most always be around 9 or 10 o'clock and the negro he would be so tired…

"I was born in Nashville, Tenn., in 1849. My father's name, James McAdams and mother's name, Sallie McAdams. I don't know where they came from. I have 2 brothers, Edgar and Sam, one sister name Josie, one Lucy and one Judie. Our…

"My owner was Massa Frank Holland, and I's born on his place in Walker County. I had one sister named Gena and three brothers, named George and Will and Joe, but they's all dead now. Mammy's name was Gena and my father's…

"If I live till the 13th of August I'll be 82 years old. I was born in 1855 up in Walker County but since then they split the county and the place I was born is just across the line in San Jacinto County now. Jim and Janey Davenport was my…