e. Mr. Sam Henderson never married but
operated his farm with the help of his mother, Mrs. Allie Henderson.

The Henderson plantation comprised 250 acres and Mr. Henderson owned
only five slaves to carry the necessary work. Besides Benjamin's
immediate family there was one other man slave, named Aaron. Cotton,
cattle and vegetables were the chief products of the farm. The work was
divided as follows: Benjamin's job was to keep the yards clean and bring
up the calves at night; his older sister and brother, together with
Aaron, did the field work; and his mother worked in the house as general
servant.

The same routine continued from day to day, each person going about his
or her particular job. Plenty of flour was raised on the plantation and
the master had to buy very little.

The Henderson slave houses were of the one-room log type, with one
window and one door; each cabin was furnished with a bed, chair, and
table. Large fireplaces took the place of stoves for cooking. These were
constructed four or five feet in width so that one or two pots or a side
of meat could be suspended from a hook which was fastened on a rack in
the stick and dirt chimney.

Each family was given a spinning wheel and loom. After the day's work
each slave home was the scene of spinning and weaving cloth for the
occupant's clothes and bedding.

The master gave each slave a pair of shoes; Benjamin received his first
pair of shoes when he was five years old. All slaves went barefoot in
summer months.

Summer rations on the Henderson plantations never varied from bacon and
corn bread. In the fall each family was free to eat as many of the
different vegetables as they wanted.

Wooden spoons, bowls, and trays, were kept clean by scouring regularly
with sand. At Christmas those who asked for whiskey were given an ample
amount; and occasionally each family was given a cake baked by Mr.
Henderson's mother.

The master of the Henderson plantation, as well as other plantation
owners', allowed their slaves to work individual cotton patches; when
the cotton was picked he paid them their price for the amount they had
raised. Slaves often earned money, too, by splitting rails at night and
selling them to different plantation owners.

Although Mr. Sam Henderson was a kind master and hardly ever punished
his slaves, there were some masters who were known for their cruelty.
One in particular was an old man by the name of Shirley, who would pick
up an