t White County,
Virginia--ed.)

"This is what was told to me by my papa: His grandmother was born of
George Washington's housemaid. That was one hundred forty years ago. His
papa was educated under a fine mechanic and he help build the old
State-house at Washington. Major Rousy Paten was the Washington nigger
'ministrator.

"I had a sister named Martha Curtis after his young wife. I had a
brother named Housy Patton. They are both dead now. Pa lived to be
ninety-eight years old. My mama was as white as you is but she was a
nigger woman. Pa was lighter than I is now. I'm getting darker 'cause
I'm getting old. My pa was named Benjamin Washington.

"I heard my pa talk about Nat Turner. (She knew who he was o.k.--ed.) He
got up a rebellion of black folk back in Virginia. I heard my pa sit and
tell about him. Moses Kinnel was a rich white man wouldn't sell Nellie
'cause of what his wife said. She was a housemaid. He wrote own free
pass book and took her to Maryland. Father's father wanted to buy Nellie
but her owner wouldn't sell her. He took her.

"My mother had fourteen children. We and Archie was the youngest.

"Moses Kinnel was a rich white man and had lots of servants. He promised
never to sell Nellie and keep her to raise his white children. She was
his maid. He promised that her dying bed. But father's father stole her
and took her to Maryland.

"Pa run away and was sold twice or more. When he was small chile his
mother done fine washing. She seat him to go fetch her some fine laundry
soap what they bought in the towns. Two white men in a two-wheel open
buggy say, 'Hey, don't you want to ride?' 'I ain't got time.' 'Get in
buggy, we'll take you a little piece.' One jumped out and tied his hands
together. They sold him. They let him go to nigger traders. They had him
at a doctor's examining his fine head see what he could stand. The
doctor say, 'He is a fine man. Could trust him with silver and gold--his
weight in it.' They brung him to Mississippi and sold him for a big
price. He had these papers the doctor wrote on him to show.

"Then he sent for my mama after they sat him free. His name was Ben
Washington.

"He never spoke much of freedom. He said his master in Mississippi told
them and had them sign up contracts to finish that year's crop. He took
back his old Virginia name and I don't recollect that master's name.
Heard it too. Yes ma'am, heap er times. My recollection is purty nigh
gone.

"I don't get n