rs. My mother, Jane Davis,
at the death of my father, removed from the farm, where my father died,
and spent the remainder of her days in Fredericksburg, with her
children. She lived to good old age, and fell asleep in Jesus, Dec. 24,
1831.

My father had been allowed to keep a cow and horse, for his own use; and
to raise and feed his hogs and poultry from the mill. He had the
privilege of keeping his children with him, until they were old enough
to put out to such trades as they might choose. I had several brothers
and one sister. Two of my brothers, one older, the other younger than
myself, lived with our parents, at this place. My oldest brother worked
in the mill, with my father, while my youngest brother and I did little
else than play about home, and wait upon our mother. I had several
playmates, besides my brothers, and among them were the sons of Col.
Thom, and the servant boys who stayed at his house. Although many years
have passed away since, it gives me pleasure, even now, to recollect the
happy seasons I enjoyed with the playmates of my childhood.

But this pleasant state of things was not to continue long. The owners
of the mill and farm concluded to sell out the whole concern. My father
and his family then removed to another farm, belonging to our owner,
located in Culpepper county, near Stevensburg. Here I remained nearly two
years, working, part of the time, with a carpenter, who was building a
summer residence for my master; and the rest of the time, assisting my
father to cultivate as much ground as he and his family could tend. Here
I learned something of a farmer's life. The overseer, Mr. Daniel Brown,
had the reputation of being one of the best overseers in the county. But
my father's family was not put under him further than for his
protection; for after our owner sold the mill, he set my parents free,
and allowed them to maintain themselves, by cultivating as much ground
on the farm as they needed.

Sometimes my father would leave his little place in charge of my brother
Robert and myself, and would hire himself to work in some mill, or go
peddling poultry, vegetables, &c., at some of the market places around.

CHAPTER II.

Apprenticed to the shoe-making--Learns housework--Intemperance--"A negro
can't be trusted"--Learning how to write and cipher.

In December, 1818, for the first time in my life, I left my parents, to
go a distance from home; and I was sad at the thought of parting