“My father could have an extra patch and make a bale of cotton or whatever he wanted to on it.  That was so that he could make a little money to buy things for hisself and his family.  And if he raised a bale of cotton on his patch and wanted to sell it to the agent, that was all right.

Family

“I have a brother named Manuel Clayton.  If he’s living still, he is younger than I am.  He is the baby boy.  I doesn’t remember his father at all.  I had five sisters with myself and two brothers.  All of them were older than me except Manuel.  My mother had one brother and two sisters.  Her brother’s name was Lin Urbin.  We always called him Big Buddy.  He hasn’t been so long died.  My older brother is named Willis Clayton—­if he’s still living.  Willis has a half dozen sons.  He is my oldest brother.  He lives way out in the country ’round Mer Rouge.

Freedom

“My mother said they promised to them money when they were freed.  Some of them gave them something, and some of them didn’t.  My mother’s folks didn’t give her nothin’.  The Government didn’t give her nothin’ either.  I don’t know just who told her she was free nor how.  I don’t remember myself.

Patrollers and Ku Klux

“I never heard much about pateroles.  My mother said they used to whip you if they would catch you out without a pass.  I heard her talk about the Ku Klux after freedom.

Slave Worship

“My mother could always go to church on Sunday.  Her slave-time preacher was Tom Johnson.  Henry Soates and Watt Taylor were slavery-time preachers too.  Old man Jacob Anderson too was a great preacher in slave time.  There was a big arbor where they held church.  That was outdoors.  There was just a wood frame and green leaves laid over it.  Hundreds of people sat under there and heard the Gospel preached.  The Offords didn’t care how much you worshipped.  If I was with them, I wouldn’t have no trouble.

“In the winter time they had a small place to meet in.  They built a church after the war.  When I went home, eight or nine years ago, I walked all ’round and looked at all the old places.

Health

“You know my remembrance comes and goes.  I ain’t had no good remembrance since I been sick.  I been mighty sick with high blood pressure.  I can’t work and I can’t even go out.  I’m ’fraid I’ll fall down and get myself hurt or run over.

Support

“I don’t get no help ’cept what my daughter gives me.  I can’t get no Old Age Pension.  I never did get nothin’ for my father.  My mother didn’t either.  He was killed in the war, but they didn’t give nobody nothin’ for his death.  They told me they’d give me something and then they told me they wouldn’t.  I’m dependent on what my daughter does for me.  If I was back in Mer Rouge, I wouldn’t have no trouble gettin’ a pension, nor nothin’ else.