Interviewer’s Comment

Ella Wilson insists that she is one hundred years old and that she was born sixteen years before freedom.  The two statements conflict.  From her appearance and manner, either might be true.

Interviewer:  Mrs. Bernice Bowden
Person interviewed:  Robert Wilson
                    811 West Pullen Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age:  101

“My name is Robert Wilson.  I was born in Halifax County, Virginia.  How old am I?  Accordin’ to my recollection I was twenty-three years old befo’ the war started.  Old master tole me how old I was.  I’m a hundred and one now.  Yes’m I knows I am.

“Yes’m I been sold.  They put us up on the auction block jest like we was a hoss.  They put me up and white man ax ‘Who want to buy this boy?’ One man say ‘ten dollars’ and then they run it up to a hundred.  And they buy a girl to match you and raise you up together.  When you want to get married you jump over the broomstick.  I used to weigh one hundred and fifty-six pounds and a half, standin’ weight.  I could pick four and five hundred pounds of cotton in a day.

“When the Yankees come, old master make us boys take the sack of money and hide it in the big pond.  Yes’m, we drove the buggy right in the water.

“Durin’ the time of the war I used to ride ’long side of the Yankees.  They give me a blue coat with brass buttons and a blue cap and brass-toed boots.  I used to saddle and curry the bosses.  I member Company Fifth and Sixth.

“They tole us the war was to make things better.  We didn’t know we was free till ’bout six months after the war was over.  I didn’t care whether I was free or not.

“’Bout slavery—­well, I thinks like this.  I think they fared better then.  They didn’t have to worry ’bout spenses.  We had plenty chicken and everything.  Nowdays when you pay the rent you ain’t got nothin’ left to buy somethin’ to eat.

“Yes’m, I been to school.  I’se a preacher (showing me his certificate of ordination).  I lives close to the Lord.  The Lord done left me here for a purpose.

“When we used to pray we put our heads under the wash pot to keep old master from hearin’ us.  Old master make us put the chillun to bed fo’ dark.  I ’member one song he make us sing—­

  ’Down in Mobile, down in Mobile
   How I love dat pretty yellow gal,
   She rock to suit me—­
   Down in Mobile, down in Mobile.’

“You ’member when Grant took the fort at Vicksburg?  I ’member he and that general on the white hoss—­yes’m, General Lee, they eat dinner together and then after dinner they go to fightin’.

“Oh lord!  Don’t talk about them Ku Klux.

“Cose I believes in spirits.  Don’t you?  Well you ain’t never been skeered.

“After freedom my folks refugeed from Virginia to Tennessee so I went to Memphis.  We got things from the Bureau.  Yes, Lord!  I had everything I wanted.  I wouldn’t care if that time would come back now.