“One time a slave ran away and was seen by a colored man, who was hunting, sitting on a log eating some food late in the night.  He had a corn knife with him.  When his master attempted to hit him with a whip, he retaliated with the knife, splitting the man’s breast open, from which he died.  The slave escaped and was never captured.  The white cappers or patrollers in all of the counties of Southern Maryland scoured the swamps, rivers and fields without success.

“Let me explain to you very plain without prejudice one way or the other, I have had many opportunities, a chance to watch white men and women in my long career, colored women have many hard battles to fight to protect themselves from assault by employers, white male servants or by white men, many times not being able to protect, in fear of losing their positions.  Then on the other hand they were subjected to many impositions by the women of the household through woman’s jealousy.

“I remember well when President Buchanan was elected, I was a large boy.  I came to Baltimore when General Grant was elected, worked in a livery stable for three years, three years with Dr. Owens as a waiter and coachman, 3 years with Mr. Thomas Winanson Baltimore Street as a butler, 3 years with Mr. Oscar Stillman of Boston, then 11 years with Mr. Robert Garrett on Mt.  Vernon Place as head butler, after which I entered the catering business and continued until about twelve years ago.  In my career I have had the opportunity to come in contact with the best white people and the most cultured class in Maryland and those visiting Baltimore.  This class is about gone, now we have a new group, lacking the refinement, the culture and taste of those that have gone by.

“When I was a small boy I used to run races with other boys, play marbles and have jumping contests.

“At nights the slaves would go from one cabin to the other, talk, dance or play the fiddle or sing.  Christmas everybody had holidays, our mistress never gave presents.  Saturdays were half-day holidays unless planting and harvest times, then we worked all day.

“When the slaves took sick or some woman gave birth to a child, herbs, salves, home liniments were used or a midwife or old mama was the attendant, unless severe sickness Miss McPherson would send for the white doctor, that was very seldom.”

Maryland
Dec. 21, 1937
Rogers

Tom Randall, Ex-slave. 
Reference:  Personal interview with Tom Randall,
           at his home, Oella, Md.

“I was born in Ellicott City, Howard County, Maryland, in 1856, in a shack on a small street now known as New Cut Road—­the name then, I do not know.  My mother’s name was Julia Bacon.  Why my name was Randall I do not know, but possibly a man by the name of Randall was my father.  I have never known nor seen my father.  Mother was the cook at the Howard House; she was permitted to keep me with her.  When I could remember things, I remember eating out of the skillets, pots and pans, after she had fried chicken, game or baked in them, always leaving something for me.  When I grew larger and older I can recall how I used to carry wood in the kitchen, empty the rinds of potatoes, the leaves of cabbages and the leaves and tops of other plants.