I remember one slave named Adams who ran away and when he came back my old master picked up a log from the fire and hit him over the head.  We always washed up and cleaned up for Sunday.  Some time the older ones would get drunk.

On Christmas and New Years day we would go up to the house and they would give us candy and fruit and fire-crackers.  We were given some of all the food that the white folks had, even turkey.  Would have heaps of corn-shuckings, the neighbors would come in and then we’d have big dances and old Marse would always have a “jug of licker”.

If a cat crossed our path we would turn backwards for a while.  When I was about 9 or 10 years old I went from the cabin to the big kitchen to make the fire for my mammy to get the breakfast and I saw ole man Billie Cleveland standing looking up in the sky.  He had been dead about 3 or 4 years; but I saw him.

The white folks looked after us when we were sick.  Used dock leaves, slippery elm for poultices.  They put polk root in whiskey and gave it to us.

When the news came we were freed every body was glad.  The slaves cleared up the ground and cut down trees.  Stayed with Marse Cleveland the first year after the war.  Have heard the Klu Klux Klan ride down the road, wearing masks.  None ever bothered me or any of Marse Clevelands slaves.

I married years after I left Marse Cleveland.  Married Lucy Mason the first time and had three children, two girls and 1 boy.  I didn’t have no children by my second marriage, but the third time I had four.  One died.  I have eight grandchildren.

We had no overseer but Marse Hock was the only boy and the oldest child.  We had no white trash for neighbors.  I have seen old covered wagons pulled by oxen travelling on the road going to Indianny and us children was whipped to keep us away from the road for fear they would steal us.”

Bibliography: 
Interview with George Henderson, Ex-slave.

Garrard County.  Ex-Slave Stories. 
(Eliza Ison) [HW:  Ky 11]

Aunt Harriet Mason—­Ex-Slave: 

She was born one mile below Bryantsville on the Lexington Pike in Garrard County, and was owned by B.M.  Jones.  She gives the date of her birth as April 14, 1847.  Aunt Harriet’s father was Daniel Scott, a slave out of Mote Scott’s slave family.  Aunt Harriet’s mother’s name was Amy Jones, slave of Marse Briar Jones, who came from Harrodsburg, Ky.  The names of her brothers were Harrison, Daniel, Merida, and Ned; her sisters were Susie and Maria.  Miss Patsy, wife of Marse Briar gave Maria to Marse Sammy Welsh, brother of Miss Patsy’s and who lived with his sister.  He taught school in Bryantsville for a long time.  “General Gano who married Jane Welsh, adopted daughter of Marse Briar Jones, took my sisters Myra and Emma, Brother Ned and myself to Tarrant County, Texas to a town called Lick Skillet, to live.  Grapevine was the name of the white folks house.  It was called