The next morning the Negro mother was tried in court and when she produced her free papers she was asked why she did not show these papers to the arresting officers.  She replied that she was afraid that they would steal them from her.  She was exonerated from all charges and sent back to Indiana with her baby.

Mrs. Angie Boyce now resides at 498 W. Madison St., Franklin, Ind.

Special Assignment
Walter R. Harris
District #3
Clay County

Life story of ex-slave
Mrs. Edna Boysaw

Mrs. Boysaw has been a citizen of this community about sixty-five years.  She resides on a small farm, two miles east of Brazil on what is known as the Pinkley Street Road.  This has been her home for the past forty years.  Her youngest son and the son of one of her daughters lives with her.  She is still very active, doing her housework and other chores about the farm.  She is very intelligent and according to statements made by other citizens has always been a respected citizen in the community, as also has her entire family.  She is the mother of twelve children.  Mrs. Boysaw has always been an active church worker, spending much time in missionary work for the colored people.  Her work was so outstanding that she has been often called upon to speak, not only in the colored churches, but also in white churches, where she was always well received.  Many of the most prominent people of the community number Mrs. Boysaw as one of their friends and her home is visited almost daily by citizens in all walks of life.  Her many acts of kindness towards her neighbors and friends have endeared her to the people of Brazil, and because of her long residence in the community, she is looked upon as one of the pioneers.

Mrs. Boysaw’s husband has been dead for thirty-five years.  Her children are located in various cities throughout the country.  She has a daughter who is a talented singer, and has appeared on programs with her daughter in many churches.  She is not certain about her age, but according to her memory of events, she is about eighty-seven.

Her story as told to the writer follows: 

“When the Civil War ended, I was living near Richmond, Virginia.  I am not sure just how old I was, but I was a big, flat-footed woman, and had worked as a slave on a plantation.  My master was a good one, but many of them were not.  In a way, we were happy and contented, working from sun up to sun down.  But when Lincoln freed us, we rejoiced, yet we knew we had to seek employment now and make our own way.  Wages were low.  You worked from morning until night for a dollar, but we did not complain.  About 1870 a Mr. Masten, who was a coal operator, came to Richmond seeking laborers for his mines in Clay County.  He told us that men could make four to five dollars a day working in the mines, going to work at seven and quitting at 3:30 each day.  That sounded like a Paradise to our