The biography of A child born in slavery
Samuel Watson
[HW:  Personal Interview]

Samuel Watson, a citizen of Evansville, Indiana, was born in Webster County, Kentucky, February 14, 1862.  His master’s home was located two and one half miles from Clay, Kentucky on Craborchard Creek.

“Uncle Sammy” as the negro children living near his home on South East Fifth Street call the old man, possesses an unusually clear memory.  In fact he remembers seeing the soldiers and hearing the report of cannon while he was yet an infant.

One story told by the old negro relates how; “old missus” saved “old massa’s horses”.  The story follows: 

The mistress accompanied by a number of slaves was walking out one morning and all were startled by the sound of hurrying horses.  Soon many mounted soldiers could be seen coming over a hill in the distance.  The child Samuel was later told that the soldiers were making their way to Fort Donelson and were pressing horses into service.  They were also enlisting negroes into service whenever possible.

Old master, Thomas Watson, owned many good able-bodied slaves and many splendid horses.  The mistress realised the danger of loss and opening the “big gate” that separated the corral from the forest lands, Mrs. Watson ran into the midst of the horses shouting and frailing them.  The frightened horses ran into the forest off the highway and toward the river.

When the soldiers stopped at the Watson plantation they found only a few old work horses standing under a tree and not desiring these they want on their way.

The little negro boy ran and hid himself in the corner made by a great outside chimney, where he was found later, by his frightened mother.  Uncle Samuel remembers that the horses came home the following afternoon, none missing.

Uncle Samuel remembers when the war ended and the slaves were emancipated.  “Some were happy! and some were sad!” Many dreaded leaving their old homes and their masters’ families.

Uncle Samuel’s mother and three children were told that they were free people and the master asked the mother to take her little ones and go away.

She complied and took her family to the plantation of Jourdain James, hoping to work and keep her family together.  Wages received for her work failed to support the mother and children so she left the employ of Mr. James and worked from place to place until her children became half starved and without clothing.

The older children, remembering better and happier days, ran away from their mother and went back to their old master.

Thomas Watson went to Dixon, Kentucky and had an article of indenture drawn up binding both Thomas and Laurah to his service for a long number of years.  Little Samuel only remained with his mother who took him to the home of William Allen Price.  Mr. Price’s plantation was situated in Webster County, Kentucky about half-way between Providence and Clay on Craborchard Creek.  Mr. Price had the little boy indentured to his service for a period of eighteen years.  There the boy lived and worked on the plantation.