Family

“Mary Farmer was my mother.  William Farmer was my father.  I never knowed any of my father’s ’lations except one sister.  She would come to see us sometimes.

“My father’s master was Isaac Farmer.  My mother didn’t ’long to him.  She ’longed to the Sharpes.  Just what her master’s name was I don’t recollect.  She lived five miles from my father.  He went to see her every Thursday night.  That was his regular night to go.  He would go Saturday night; if he went any other time and the pateroles could catch him, they would whip him just the same as though he belonged to them.  But they never did whip my father because they never could catch him.  He was one of those who ran.

“My father and mother had ten children.  I don’t know whether any of them is living now or not besides myself.

How Freedom Came

“Freedom was a singsong every which way when I knowed anything.  My father’s master, Isaac Farmer, had a big farm and a whole world of land.  He told the slaves all of them were free.  He told his brother’s slaves, ’After you have made this crop, bring your wives and children here because I am able to take care of them.’  He had a smokehouse full of meat and other things.  He told my father that after this crop is gathered, to fetch his wife and children to him (Isaac Farmer), because Sharpe might not be able to feed and shelter and take care of them all.  So my father brought us to Isaac Farmer’s farm.

“I never did anything but devilment the whole second year of freedom.  I was large enough to take water in the field but I didn’t have to do that.  There were so many of them there that one could do what he pleased.  The next year I worked because they had thinned out.  The first year come during the surrender.  They cared for Sharpe’s crop.  The next year they took Isaac Farmer’s invitation and stayed with him.  The third year many of them went other places, but my father and my mother and brothers and sisters stayed with Isaac Farmer for awhile.

“As time went on, I farmed with success myself.

“I stayed in North Carolina a long time.  I had a wife and children in North Carolina.  Later on, I went to Louisiana and stayed there one year and made one crop.  Then I came here with my wife and children.  I don’t know how long I been here.  We came up here when the high water was.  That was the biggest high water they had.  I worked on the levee and farmed.  The first year we came here, we farmed.  I lived out in the country then.

Occupation

“While I was able to work, I stayed on the farm.  I had forty acres.  But after my children left me and my wife died, I thought it would be better to sell out and pay my debts.  Pay your honest debts and everything will be lovely.  Now I manages to pay my rent by taking care of this yard and I get help from the government.  I can’t read and I can’t write.