ppearance in no way
justifies his claim to being 105 years of age. He is about five ft. in
height with a rather smooth brown complexion. What hair he has is gray.
He moves about like a much younger person. For a person of his age his
thoughts and speech are remarkably clear.

On a bright sunny afternoon in September this writer had an opportunity
of talking with Mr. Ward and in the course of the conversation some very
interesting things were learned regarding the institution of slavery and
its customs. Ward took a dip of snuff from his little tin box and began
his story by saying that he is the son of Bill and Leana Ward who were
brought to this country from Jamaica, B.W.I. The first thing he
remembers was the falling of the stars in 1833. From that time until he
was 9 years old he played around the yard with other slave children.
Then his parents were sent back to Jamaica by their master, the former
Governor Joseph E. Brown. While he was in bondage he carried the name of
his masters instead of Ward, his parents' name.

From the age of 9 until he was old enough to do heavy work, he kept the
master's yard clean.

Although Mr. Brown owned between 50 and 75 slaves, he had no plantation
but hired his slaves out to other men who needed more help but were not
able to own as many slaves as their work required.

Mr. Ward and his fellow slaves lived in one-room houses in the rear of
the master's home. The furnishings consisted of a bed which was known as
a "Grand Rascal" due to its peculiar construction. The mattress made in
the form of a large bag was stuffed with hat and dried grass.

At daybreak each morning they were called from these crude beds to
prepare for the day's work. Breakfast, which consisted of white bacon,
corn bread, and imitation coffee, was served before they left for the
scene of their day's work. Incidentally the slaves under Mr. Brown's
ownership never had any other form of bread than corn bread.

This imitation coffee was made by putting corn meal in a pan, parching
it until it reached a deep golden brown and steeping it in boiling
water. At noon, dinner was brought to them in the field in wash tubs
placed on carts drawn by oxen. Dinner consisted of fat meat, peas and
corn bread. Often all laundry was done in these same tubs.

The only time that this diet ever varied was at Christmas time when the
master had all slaves gathered in one large field. Then several hogs
were killed and barbecued. Everyon