“I had lots uv sisters and brothers but I can’t ’member de names of none by Lytie, Mary, Patsy and Ella; my brothers, is Edmond and Cornelius Jackson.  Cornelius is livin’ now somewhere I think but I don’ never see him.”

“When de big gun fiahed I was a young missy totin’ cotton to de scales at de ginhouse; ef de ginhouse wuz close by, you had to tote de cotton to it, but ef it wuz fur ’way wagins ud come to de fields and weigh it up and take it to de ginhouse.  I was still livin’ near Lake Jackson and we went to Abram Bailey’s place near Tallahassee.  Carr turned us out without nuthin and Bailey gi’d us his hammoc’ and we went dere fur a home.  Fust we cut down saplin’s fur we didn’ had no house, and took de tops uv pines and put on de top; den we put dirt on top uv dese saplin’s and slep’ under dem.  When de rain would come, it would wash all de dirt right down in our face and we’d hafter buil’ us a house all over ag’in.  We didn’ had no body to buil’ a house fur us, cose pa was gone and ma jes had us gals and we cut de saplin’s fer de man who would buil’ de house fer us.  We live on Bailey’s place a long time and fin’lly buil’ us a log cabin and den we went frum dis cabin to Gadsden County to a place name Concord and dere I stay tel I come here ’fore de fiah.”

“I had twelve chillun but right now missus, I can only ’member dese names:  Robert, ’Lijah, Edward, Cornelius, Littie, Rachel and Sophie.”

“I was converted in Leon County and after freedom I joined de Methodist church and my membership is now in Mount Zion A.M.E.  Church in Jacksonville, Florida.”

“My fust husban was Nelson Walker and de las’ one was name Dave Nickerson.  I don’ think I was 20 years old when de big gun fiahed, but I was more’ 17—­I reckon I wuz a little older den Flossie May (a niece who is 17 years of age) is now.” (1)

Mrs. Nickerson, according to her information must be about 89 or 90 years of age, sees without glasses having never used them; she does not read or write but speaks in a convincing manner.  She has most of her teeth and a splendid appetite.  She spends her time sitting in a wheel-chair sewing on quilts.  She has several quilts that she has pieced, some from very small scraps which she has cut without the use of any particular pattern.  She has a full head of beautiful snowy white hair and has the use of her limbs, except her legs, and is able to do most things for herself. (2)

She lives with her daughter at 1600 Myrtle Avenue, Jacksonville, Florida.

REFERENCES

1.  Personal interview with Margrett Nickerson, 1600 Myrtle Avenue, Jacksonville, Florida

2.  Sophia Nickerson Starke, 1600 Myrtle Avenue, daughter of Margrett Nickerson, Jacksonville, Florida

[TR:  References moved from beginning of interview.]

FEDERAL WRITERS’ PROJECT American Guide, (Negro Writers’ Unit)