ut nobody didn't think nothing 'bout dat.

De Patrollers was de law, kind of like de policeman now. Dey sure
never did whip one of Master Holmes' niggers for he didn't allow it.
He didn't whip 'em hisself and he sure didn't allow anybody else to
either. I was afraid of de Ku Kluxers too, and I 'spects dat Master
Holmes was one of de leaders iffen de truth was known. Dey sure was
scary looking.

I was scared of de Yankee soldiers. Dey come by and killed some of our
cattle for beef and took our meat and lard out'n de smokehouse and dey
took some corn, too. Us niggers was awful mad. We didn't know anything
'bout dem fighting to free us. We didn't specially want to be free dat
I knows of.

Right after de War I went over to Bloomfield Academy to take care of a
little girl, but I went back to Master Holmes and Miss Betsy at de end
of two years to take care of de little girl dat was born to dem and I
stayed with her until I was about fifteen. Master Holmes went to
Washington as a delegate, for something for de Indians, and he took
sick and died and dey buried him dere. Poor Miss Betsy nearly grieved
herself to death. She stayed on at de farm till her little girl was
grown and married. Her nigger men stayed on with her and rented land
from her and dey sure raised a sight of truck. Didn't none of her old
slaves ever move very far from her and most of them worked for her
till dey was too old to work.

I left Miss Betsy purty soon after Master Holmes died and went back
to de Academy and stayed three years. I married a man dat belonged to
Master Holmes' cousin. His name was Colbert, too. I had a big wedding.
Miss Betsy and a lot of white folks come and stayed for dinner. We
danced all evening and after supper we started again and danced all
night and de next day and de next night. We'd eat awhile and den we'd
dance awhile.

My husband and I had nine children and now I've got seven
grandchildren. My husband has been dead a long time.

My sister, Chaney, lives here close to me but her mind has got feeble
and she can't recollect as much as I can. I live with my son and he is
mighty good to me. I know I ain't long for dis world but I don't mind
for I has lived a long time and I'll have a lot of friends in de other
world and I won't be lonesome.

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

GEORGE CONRAD, JR.,
Age 77 yrs.
Oklahoma City, Okla.

I was born February 23, 1860 at Connersville, Harrison