All kind of game was plentiful, plenty of coon, possum, used up everything that grew in the woods.  Plenty of corn, we took it to the grist mill every Saturday.

Ark. riv. boats passed the Walker place, and dey was a landing right at dere place, and one at the Wright place, that is where the airport is now.

All de white folks had plenty of cattle den and in de winter time dey was all turned in on the fields and with what us niggers had, that made a good many, and you know yorself dat was good for de ground.

Mother was a slave on the Merriweather place, her marster was Mick[TR:  name not clear] Merriweather.  My granma was Gusta Merriweather, my mother Lavina and lived on the Merriweather place in what was then Dorsey county, near Edinburg, now Cleveland Co.  My grandfather was Louis Barnett, owned by Nick Barnett of Cleveland co., then Dorsey co.  Fathers people was owned by Marse Bob Walker.  Miss Lelia (Eulalie) was mistis.  Miss Maggie Benton was young mistis.

I dont believe in ghosts or spirits.

Interviewer:  Mrs. Bernice Bowden
Person interviewed:  Emma Moore
                    3715 Short West Second, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age:  80
Occupation:  Laundry work

“I’se born in slavery times.  When my daddy come back from the War, he said I was gwine on seven or eight.

“He stayed in the War three years and six months.  I know that’s what he always told us.  He went with his master, Joe Horton.  Looks like I can see old Marse Joe now.  Had long sandy whiskers.  The las’ time I seed him he come to my uncle’s house.  We was all livin’ in a row of houses.  Called em the quarters.  I never will fergit it.

“I was born on Horton’s Island here in Arkansas.  That’s what they told me.

“I know when my daddy went to war and when he come back, he put on his crudiments (accoutrements) to let us see how he looked.

“I seed the soldiers gwine to war and comin’ back.  Look like to me I was glad to see em till I seed too many of em.

“Yankees used to come down and take provisions.  Yes, ’twas the Yankees!

“My granddaddy was the whippin’ boss.  Had a white boss too named Massa Fred.

“Massa Joe used to come down and play with us chillun.  His name was Joe Horton.  Ever’body can tell you that was his name.  Old missis named Miss Mary.  She didn’t play with us much.

“Yes ma’am, they sure did take us to Texas durin’ of the War—­in a ox wagon.  Stayed down there a long time.

“We didn’t have plenty to eat but we had to eat what we did.  I member they wouldn’t give us chillun no meat, jus’ grease my mouf and make my mother think we had meat.

“Now my mother told me, at night some of the folks used to steal one of old massa’s shoats and cook it at night.  I know when that pot was on the rack but you better not say nothin’ bout it.

“All us chillun stayed in a big long log house.  Dar is where us chillun stayed in the daytime, right close to Miss Mary.