lock and hear the Auctioneer's voice selling you away from the folks
you love." Uncle John explained how mothers and fathers were often
separated from their dearly loved children, at the auction block, but
John and his younger brother Thomas were fortunate and were bought by
the same master along with Liza Rudd, their mother. An elder brother,
Henry, was separated from his mother and brothers and became the
property of George Snyder and was thereafter known as Henry Snyder.

When Liza Rudd and her two little sons left the slave block they were
the property of Henry Moore who lived a few miles away from Springfield.
Uncle John declares that unhappiness met them at the threshold of the
Moore's estate.

Liza was given the position of cook, housemaid and plough-hand while
her little boys were made to hoe, carry wood and care for the small
children of the Moore family.

John had only been at the Moore home a few months when he witnessed
several slaves being badly beaten. Henry Moore kept a white overseer and
several white men were employed to whip slaves. A large barrel stood
near the slave quarters and the little boy discovered that the barrel
was a whipping post. The slaves would be strapped across the side of the
barrel and two strong men would wield the "cat of nine tails" until
blood flowed from gashed flesh, and the cries and prayers of the
unfortunate culprits availed them nothing until the strength of the
floggers became exhausted.

One day, when several Negroes had just recovered from an unusual amount
of chastisement, the little Negro, John Rudd, was playing in the front
yard of the Moore's house when he heard a soft voice calling him. He
knew the voice belonged to Shell Moore, one of his best friends at the
Moore estate. Shell had been among those severely beaten and little John
had been grieving over his misfortunes. "Shell had been in the habbit of
whittling out whistles for me and pettin' of me," said the now aged
negro. "I went to see what he wanted wif me and he said 'Goodby Johnnie,
you'll never see Shellie alive after today.'" Shell made his way toward
the cornfield but the little Negro boy, watching him go, did not realize
what situation confronted him. That night the master announced that
Shell had run away again and the slaves were started searching fields
and woods but Shell's body was found three days later by Rhoder McQuirk,
dangling from a rafter of Moore's corn crib where the unhappy Negro had
h