young master steal
him into slavery again. So he was glad when freedom come and he was free
again. Old master made arrangement for us to stay with him till after
the harvest and then we go to the old Rawls house what 'long to Mr. Chiv
Rawls. He and my father and mother run the place and it was a big farm.

"I git marry when I was 'bout 22 years old and that's her right there
now. We's been married more'n 60 years and she was 17 years old then.
She was raised in Grant's colony and her father was a blacksmith.

"We had it all 'ranged and we stop the preacher one Sunday mornin' when
he was on the way to preachin' and he come there to her pa's house and
marry us. We's had 11 children and all has deceased but three.

"I was educated since freedom, 'cause they wasn't no schools in slavery
days, but after I was freed I went to public schools. Most my learnin' I
got from a German man what was principal of a college and he teach me
the biggest part of my education.

"When I was 14 a desperado killed my father and then I had my mother and
her eight children to take care of. I worked two months and went to
school one month and that way I made money to take care of 'em.

420215

[Illustration: Campbell Davis]

CAMPBELL DAVIS, 85, was born in Harrison Co., Texas, a slave of
Henry Hood. He remained on the Hood place about three years after
he was freed, then farmed in Louisiana. In 1873 he married and
moved back to Harrison Co., where he farmed until old age forced
him to stop. He now lives with his nephew, Billie Jenkins, near
Karnack. Campbell receives a $12.00 per month old age pension.

"I's big 'nough in slavery time to hear dem tell de darkies to get up
and go in the mornin', and to hear the whistlin' of dem whips and
howlin' of de dogs. I's birthed up in the northeast part of this county
right on the line of Louisiana and Texas, and 'longed to old man Henry
Hood. My mammy and daddy was Campbell and Judy Davis and dey both come
from Alabama, and was brung here by de traders and sold to Massa Hood.
They was nine of us chillen, name Ellis and Hildaman and Henderson and
Henrietta and Georgia and Harriet and Patsy.

"Massa Henry didn't have de fine house but it a big one. Us quarters sot
off 'cross de field in de edge of a skit of woods. Dey have dirt floors
and a fireplace and old pole and plank bunks nail to de walls.

"Dey fed us beef and veg'tables--any kind, jus' name it--an