“I kin read en write at first of freedom I sent ter school some en learned ter read and write.

“I sho do believe in dreams.  I had one once I laid down on de bed ter take er nap en den I dreamed dat somethin was a chokin me en I pulled at my dress en a big snake dropped out of my bosom rolled down on de bed.  Den on de floor en when I woke up sho nuff dar war a snake on de floor by de bed en I killed it en den I knowed dat I had an enemy sho nuff in a few days a woman I thot was my friend turned gain me.  By killing de snake I knowed dat I would conquer dat enemy.

“I noes wishes cen come tru seems ter me I hev but my memory aint so good but still I believes hit.

“Wen de smoke flies low hit sho is goin ter snow.”

“Spilling salt or ter waste salt is bad luck.  I always wen I makes my bread put de salt in de bread den I puts some of de salt in de fire ter bring me good luck.

“Sometime de moon affects people wen it changes hit makes some folks crazy en dey is hard to git alon wid.”

“If you plant Irish pertatoes on de light of de moon you hev nuthin but top.  Whatever ter be made underneath de ground like turnips, potatoes, onions is ter be planted by de dark of de moon.  Beans, peas, corn in de light of de moon.

“Yes, spit will cure, cause I had ringworms once en in de morning wen I woke up afore I spoke ter anyone I’d take spit en put on my face en hit sho cured de ringworms.”

(Signs)

“If you nail a horse shoe ober de door hits a good luck ter you.

“I thin “13” is an unlucky number I’se heard so much talk of hit till I believes hit.  Breaking a mirror is sho bad luck if you break one you will hev seben years bad luck.”

“Blue gummed niggers is shon bad luck wen I sees one gits as far away as I kin foh if one bites you you is a ded nigger foh dey is pizen as er diamond back.”

“De white folks jes made niggers carry on like brutes.  One white man uster say ter nuther white man, “My nigger man Sam wanter marry yer nigger gal Lucy what does yer say en if he said hit war all right why dat couple war supposed to be married.  Den Sam would work foh his marster in de daytime en den would spend de night at Lucy’s house on de next plantation.”

Kate Billingsby: 

Kate Billingsby, Ex-slave, according to a record in a Bible the Buckners gave her when she married was born in 1828.  She was owned by Frank and Sarah Buckner.  Born in this County and has spent her life in and around Hopkinsville.  She lives on what is known as the Gates Mill Road about one half mile east of us 41E and owns her own home.