to handle their own business and to help themselves in
every way possible to take their place in life.

Oklahoma Writers' Project
Ex-Slaves
10-14-37
[Date stamp: NOV 5 1937]

EASTER WELLS
Age 83
Colbert, Okla.

I was born in Arkansas, in 1854, but we moved to Texas in 1855. I've
heard 'em tell about de trip to Texas. De grown folks rode in wagons
and carts but de chaps all walked dat was big enuff. De men walked and
toted their guns and hunted all de way. Dey had plenty of fresh game
to eat.

My mother's name was Nellie Bell. I had one sister, Liza. I never saw
my father; in fact, I never heard my mammy say anything about him and
I don't guess I ever asked her anything about him for I never thought
anything about not having a father. I guess he belonged to another
family and when we moved away he was left behind and he didn't try to
find us after de War.

My mammy and my sister and me belonged to young Master Jason Bell. We
was his onliest slaves and as he wasn't married and lived at home wid
his parents we was worked and bossed by his father, Cap'n William Bell
and his wife, Miss Mary.

After we moved to Texas, old Master built a big double log house,
weather-boarded on de inside and out. It was painted white. Dey was a
long gallery clean across de front of de house and a big open hall
between de two front rooms. Dey was three rooms on each side of de
hall and a wide gallery across de back. De kitchen set back from de
house and dey was a board walk leading to it. Vines was planted 'round
de gallery and on each side of de walk in de summer time. De house was
on a hill and set back from de big road about a quarter of a mile and
dey was big oak and pine trees all 'round de yard. We had purty
flowers, too.

We had good quarters. Dey was log cabins, but de logs was peeled and
square-adzed and put together with white plaster and had shuttered
windows and pine floors. Our furniture was home made but it was good
and made our cabins comfortable.

Old Master give us our allowance of staple food and it had to run us,
too. We could raise our own gardens and in dat way we had purty plenty
to eat. Dey took good care of us sick or well and old Mistress was
awful good to us.

My mammy was de cook. I remember old Master had some purty strict
rules and one of 'em was iffen you burnt de bread you had to eat it.
One day mammy burnt de bread. She was awful busy and forgot it and it
burnt purty bad. She knowed dat o