First time in the church, other time at home. I had
four children. I had two in Detroit. I don't know where my son is. He
may be there yet. My daughter there got fourteen children her own. I
don't know where the others are. Nom [HW: long "o" diacritical] they
don't help me a bit, do well helpin theirselves. I gets the Welfare
sistance and I works my garden back here."
Interviewer: Mrs. Bernice Bowden
Person interviewed: Parrish Washington
812 Spruce Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age: 86
"I was born in 1852--born in Arkansas. Sam Warren was my old master.
"I remember some of the Rebel generals--General Price and General
Marmaduke.
"We had started to Texas but the Yankees got in ahead of us in the
Saline bottoms and we couldn't go no further.
"My boss had so much faith in his own folks he wouldn't leave here 'til
it was too late. He left home on Saturday night and got into the bottoms
on Sunday and made camp. Then the Yankees got in ahead of him and he
couldn't go no further, so we come back to Jefferson County.
"The Yankees had done took Little Rock and come down to Pine Bluff.
"My father died in 1860 and my mother in 1865.
"I can remember when they whipped the slaves. Never whipped me
though--they was just trainin' me up.
Pages:
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76