aley, who owned a
plantation in Williamson Co., Texas. During the Civil War, Andy was
sold to W.T. House, of Blanco County, who in less than a year sold
Andy to his brother, John House. Andy now lives with his third wife
and eight of his children at 301 Armour St., Fort Worth, Texas.

"My name am Andy J. Anderson, and I's born on Massa Jack Haley's
plantation in Williamson County, Texas, and Massa Haley owned my folks
and 'bout twelve other families of niggers. I's born in 1843 and that
makes me 94 year old and 18 year when de war starts. I's had 'speriences
durin' dat time.

"Massa Haley am kind to his cullud folks, and him am kind to everybody,
and all de folks likes him. De other white folks called we'uns de petted
niggers. There am 'bout 30 old and young niggers and 'bout 20
piccaninnies too little to work, and de nuss cares for dem while dey
mammies works.

"I's gwine 'splain how it am managed on Massa Haley's plantation. It am
sort of like de small town, 'cause everything we uses am made right
there. There am de shoemaker and he is de tanner and make de leather
from de hides. Den massa has 'bout a thousand sheep and he gits de wool,
and de niggers cards and spins and weaves it, and dat makes all de
clothes. Den massa have cattle and sich purvide de milk and de butter
and beef meat for eatin'. Den massa have de turkeys and chickens and de
hawgs and de bees. With all that, us never was hongry.

"De plantation am planted in cotton, mostly, with de corn and de wheat a
little, 'cause massa don't need much of dem. He never sell nothin' but
de cotton.

"De livin' for de cullud folks am good. De quarters am built from logs
like deys all in dem days. De floor am de dirt but we has de benches and
what is made on de place. And we has de big fireplace for to cook and we
has plenty to cook in dat fireplace, 'cause massa allus 'lows plenty
good rations, but he watch close for de wastin' of de food.

"De war breaks and dat make de big change on de massas place. He jines
de army and hires a man call' Delbridge for overseer. After dat, de hell
start to pop, 'cause de first thing Delbridge do is cut de rations. He
weighs out de meat, three pound for de week, and he measure a peck of
meal. And 'twarn't enough. He half starve us niggers and he want mo'
work and he start de whippin's. I guesses he starts to edumacate 'em. I
guess dat Delbridge go to hell when he died, but I don't see how de
debbil could st