“In the year of 1866 my father returned to Maryland bringing with him mother and my brothers and sister.  He selected Annapolis for his future home, where he secured work as a waiter at the Naval Academy, he continued there for more than 20 years.  In the meantime after 1866 or 1868, when schools were opened for colored people, I went to a school that was established for colored children and taught by white teacher until I was about 17 years old, then I too worked at the Naval Academy waiting on the midshipmen.  In those days you could make extra money, sometimes making more than your wages.  About 1896 or ’97 I purchased a farm near Camp Parole containing 120 acres, upon which I have lived since, raising a variety of vegetables for which Anne Arundel County is noted.  I have been a member of Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church, Annapolis, for more than 40 years.  All of my children, 5 in number, have grown to be men and women, one living home with me, one in New York, two in Baltimore, and one working in Washington, D.C.”

Maryland
Sept. 27, 1937
Rogers

Annie young Henson, Ex-slave. 
Reference:  Personal interview with Annie Young Henson, ex-slave,
           at African M.E.  Home, 207 Aisquith St., Baltimore.

“I was born in Northumberland County, Virginia, 86 years ago.  Daughter of Mina and Tom Miller.  I had one brother Feelingchin and two sisters, Mary and Matilda.  Owned by Doctor Pressley Nellum.

“The farm was called Traveler’s Rest.  The farm so named because a man once on a dark, cold and dreary night stopped there and asked for something to eat and lodging for the night; both of which was given and welcomed by the wayfarer.

“The house being very spacious with porches on each side, situated on a high hill, with trees on the lawn giving homes to the birds and shade to the master, mistress and their guests where they could hear the chant of the lark or the melodious voices of the slaves humming some familiar tunes that suited their taste, as they worked.

“Nearby was the slave quarters and the log cabin, where we lived, built about 25 feet from the other quarter.  Our cabin was separate and distinct from the others.  It contained two rooms, one up and one down, with a window in each room.  This cabin was about 25 feet from the kitchen of the manor house, where the cooking was done by the kitchen help for the master, mistress and their guests, and from which each slave received his or her weekly ration, about 20 pounds of food each.

“The food consisted of beef, hog meat, and lamb or mutton and of the kind of vegetables that we raised on the farm.

“My position was second nurse for the doctor’s family, or one of the inner servants of the family, not one of the field hands.  In my position my clothes were made better, and better quality than the others, all made and arranged to suit the mistress’ taste.  I got a few things of femine dainty that was discarded by the mistress, but no money nor did I have any to spend.  During my life as a slave I was whipped only once, and that was for a lie that was told on me by the first nurse who was jealous of my looks.  I slept in the mistress’ room in a bed that we pushed under the mistress’ in the day or after I arose.