o Rhodus and he never was able to trace his family even after
"freedom."

The Walton plantation, home of Mr. Sam B. Walton who purchased his
mother, was a very large one with the "Big House" on an elevation near
the center. The majestic colonial home with its massive columns was seen
for miles around and from its central location the master was able to
view his entire estate.

Approximately one block from the planter's home, the "quarters" were
clustered. These were numerous loghouses with stick-and-clay chimneys in
which the slave families dwelt. Each house was composed of one room
sparsely furnished. The beds were corded with rope and as large families
were stressed, it was often necessary for several members to sleep on
the floor. There was an open fireplace at which family meals were
prepared. Equipment consisted of an iron pot suspended by a hanger and a
skillet with long legs that enabled the cook to place fire beneath it.
Bread known as "ash cake" was sometimes cooked on the hot coals.

The auction block was located not far from this old home. Here Rhodus
Walton with other young children watched slaves emerge from boxcars,
where they had been packed so closely that there was no room to sit, to
be sold to the highest bidder. This was one of his most vivid
recollections.

As Rhodus' father did not come to this home with his family, he knows
nothing of him. Except for brief intervals his mother worked in the
house where cotton and wool were spun into thread and then woven into
cloth from which the slaves' clothing was made. An elder sister nursed
the master's smaller children. Rhodus' first duties were to drive the
cows to and from the pastures and to keep the calves from annoying the
milkers.

His master was a very cruel man whose favorite form of punishment was to
take a man (or woman) to the edge of the plantation where a rail fence
was located. His head was then placed between two rails so that escape
was impossible and he was whipped until the overseer was exhausted. This
was an almost daily occurrence, administered on the slightest
provocation.

Saturday was the only afternoon off and Christmas was the only vacation
period, but one week of festivities made this season long remembered.
Many "frolics" were given and everyone danced where banjoes were
available; also, these resourceful people secured much of their music
from an improvised fiddle fashioned from a hand saw. Immediately after
these festiviti