WASHINGTON 1941

VOLUME II

ARKANSAS NARRATIVES

PART 7

Prepared by the Federal Writers’ Project of the Works Progress Administration for the State of Arkansas

INFORMANTS

Vaden, Charlie
Vaden, Ellen
Van Buren, Nettie
Vaughn, Adelaide J.

Wadille [TR:  Waddille], Emmeline
Wadille (Waddell), Emmeline (Emiline)
Waldon, Henry
Walker, Clara
Walker, Henry
Walker, Jake
Walker, Jake
Wallace, Willie
Warrior, Evans
Washington, Anna
Washington, Eliza
Washington, Jennie
Washington, Parrish
Watson, Caroline
Watson, Mary
Wayne, Bart
Weathers, Annie Mae
Weathers, Cora
Webb, Ishe
Wells, Alfred
Wells, Douglas
Wells, John
Wells, Sarah
Wells, Sarah Williams
Wesley, John
Wesley, Robert
Wesmoland, Maggie
West, Calvin
West, Mary Mays
Wethington, Sylvester
Whitaker, Joe
White, Julia A.
White, Lucy
Whiteman, David
Whiteside, Dolly
Whitfield, J.W. 
Whitmore, Sarah
Wilborn, Dock
Wilks, Bell
Williams, Bell
Williams, Charley
Williams, Charlie
Williams, Columbus
Williams, Frank
Williams, Gus
Williams, Henrietta
Williams, Henry Andrew (Tip)
Williams, James
Williams, John
Williams, Lillie
Williams, Mary
Williams, Mary
Williams, Mary
Williams, Rosena Hunt
Williams, III, William Ball (Soldier)
Williamson, Anna
Williamson, Callie Halsey
Willis, Charlotte
Wilson, Ella
Wilson, Robert
Windham, Tom
Wise, Alice
Wise, Frank
Withers, Lucy
Woods, Anna
Woods, Cal
Woods, Maggie
Word, Sam
Worthy, Ike
Wright, Alice
Wright, Hannah Brooks

Yates, Tom
Young, Annie
Young, John

FOLKLORE SUBJECTS

Name of Interviewer:  Irene Robertson
Subject:  Negro Lore
Story:—­Information

This information given by:  Charlie Vaden
Place of Residence:  Hazen, Green Grove, Ark. 
Occupation:  Farming
Age:  77
[TR:  Information moved from bottom of first page.]

Charlie Vaden’s father ran away and went to the war to fight.  He was a slave and left his owner.  His mother died when he was five years old but before she died she gave Charlie to Mrs. Frances Owens (white lady).  She came to Des Arc and ran the City Hotel.  He never saw his father till he was grown.  He worked for Mrs. Owens.  He never did run with colored folks then.  He nursed her grandchildren, Guy and Ira Brown.  When he was grown he bought a farm at Green Grove.  It consisted of a house and forty-seven acres of land.  He farmed two years.  A fortune teller came along and told him he was going to marry but he better be careful that they wouldn’t live together or he might “drop out.”  He went ahead and married like he was “fixing” to do.  They just couldn’t get along, so they got divorced.