“Right after the war I was brought north by Mr. Kuhns I spoke of, and for a short while I worked at the milling trade in Tiffin and came to Canton in 1866.  Mr. Kuhns owned a part in the old flour mill here (now the Ohio Builders and Milling Co.) and he give me a job as a miller.  I worked there until the end of last year, 70 years, and I am sure this is a record in Canton.  No, I never worked any other place.

“I was married July 4, 1871 to Jennie Scott in Massillon.  We had four children but they are all dead except one boy.  Our first baby—­a girl named Mary Jane, born February 21, 1872, was the first colored child born in Canton.  My wife died in 1926.  No, I do not know when she was born, but I do know she was not a slave.

“I started to vote after I came north but did not ever vote in the south.  I do not like the way the young people of today live; they are too fast and drink too much.  Yes, I think this is true of the white children the same as the colored.

“I saved my money when I worked and when I quit I had three properties.  I sold one of these, gave one to my son, and I am living in the other.  No, I have never had to ask for charity.  I also get a pension check from, the mill where I worked so long.

“I joined church simply because I thought it would make me a better man and I think every one should belong.  I have been a member of St. Paul’s A.M.E. church here in Canton for 54 years.  Yesterday (Sunday, August 15, 1937) our church celebrated by burning the mortgage.  As I was the oldest member I was one of the three who lit it, the other two are the only living charter members.  My church friends made me a present yesterday of $100.00 which was a birthday gift.  I was 90 years old the 25th of last month.”

Hall resides at 1225 High Ave., S.W., Canton, Ohio.

Miriam Logan Lebanon, Ohio

MRS. CELIA HENDERSON, aged 88. 
Born Hardin County, Kentucky in 1849

(drawing of Celia Henderson) [TR:  no drawing found]

“Mah mammy were Julia Dittoe, an pappy, he were name Willis Dittoe.  Dey live at Louieville till mammy were sold fo’ her marster’s debt.  She were a powerful good cook, mammy were—­an she were sol’ fo to pay dat debt.”

“She tuk us four chillen ‘long wid her, an pappy an th’ others staid back in Louieville.  Dey tuk us all on a boat de Big Ribber—­evah heah ob de big ribber?  Mississippi its name—­but we calls it de big ribber.”

“Natchez on de hill—­dats whaah de tuk us to.  Nactchez-on-de-hill dis side of N’ Or’leans.  Mammy she have eleven chillen.  No ’em, don’t ‘member all dem names no mo’.  No ’em, nevah see pappy no moah.  Im ‘member mammy cryin’ goin’ down on de boat, and us chillen a cryin’ too, but de place we got us was a nice place, nicer den what we left.  Family ‘o name of GROHAGEN it was dat got us.  Yas’em dey was nice to mammy fo’ she was a fine cook, mammy wus.  A fine cook!”