Andrew "Smokey" Columbus

Andrew "Smoky" Columbus , Was born in 1859 on the John J. Ellington plantation, in Davis County (now Cass), one mile south of Linden. He continued in the service of the Ellington's until about 1878, at which time he moved to Jefferson. There he carried meals to Abe Rothchild , who was in jail charged with the murder of "Diamond Bessie " Moore . Andrew was 37 years a servant of Hon. Tom Armistead . Since leaving the Ellingtons he has always called Jefferson his home, until his removal to Marshall two years ago. He now lives alone, and receives a $13.00 per month pension from the Government.

I was bo'n a slave of Master John J. Ellington who lived in Davis County (now Cass), one mile south of Linden. Master John had a big house, an' close by was a long, double row of slave qua'ters. It look lak a town. There was fo' boys and two girls in Master's family. One of his daughters, Miss Lula , married Lon Morris , that run the Lon Morris School. Master John was one white man dat sho took care of his Niggers. He giv' us plenty warm clothes, good shoes, an' come see us when we was sick. Dr. Hume (white) doctored us when we was sick. His Niggers et ham, middlin' an' good eats as anybody. Master John's place jined the Haggard place where there was lots of wild turkey. The slaves could go huntin' and fishin' when they wanted fish, wild turkey or other game. We had a ch'ch an' school for the slaves, an' the white fo'ks help git book learnin'. Mos' of the Niggers allus go to preachin' on Sunday. The hands didn't wo'k Saturday Afternoon. That's when we wash our clothes and clean up for Sunday. There was parties and dances on Saturday night fer them as wanted them. But there warn't no whiskey drinkin' and fightin' at the parties. Mammy didn't go to them. She was religious an' didn't believe in dancin' an' sech like. On Christmas Master John allus giv' the slaves a big dinner. It didn't seem lak slavery time. The Niggers had site better time than now. There warn't no overseer on the place, Master John done all the bossin' his-self. None of his Niggers ever run off. He was good fer them to do that. Sometime he whip them for stealin' or pilferin' round. I only got one whippin' from him, but I'se gonna 'member it as long as I liv'. It was for stealin' eggs frum a hen's nest. My Pappy was carriage-driver fer Master Ellington . I didn't do much wo'k when I was a boy. Mos' of time I jes' stay 'round the house. When some of the white fo'ks die, the slaves stopped wo'k an' went to the funeral. There wuzn't as much sickness and dyin' then as now. Master John raised lots of cotton. After it was baled, he hauled it to Jefferson on ox-wagons. I allus go wid him, ridin' on top of the bales. I'll nebber fergit how scared I was when we cross Black Cypress on Roger's Ferry Boat, an' it begin to rock. I'se seen lots of boats in Jefferson, an' was there when they had a Marde'-Gras' (Mada Grass). There was sho' a town full of people to see the Queen git off the boat frum New Orleans. I don't 'member much 'bout the war. When it was over Master John calls all his slaves together and say, "You'se free, now, an' can go or stay". He tole the men that wanted to leave, they could have a wagon an' team. Mos' of them stayed. Pappy took a wagon an' team an' left, but Mammy an' us chilluns stay, an' liv' with Master Ellington 'bout fifteen yeahs after the war was over. When I left Master John' s, I move to Jefferson an' marry Cora Benton . We had three boys and two girls. Jes' the girls are still livin'. One is at Dallas an' the other at Jefferson. While I was in Jefferson, Sheriff Vine go to Cincinnati, Ohio after Abe Rothchild for killin' "Diamond Bessie ". Abe shot hisself in the forehead when he hear Sheriff Vine was after him, but it didn't kill him. There was sho' some stirrin' 'bout when the Sheriff fotch him back to Jefferson. Mr. Sam Brown was the jailer. Abe wouldn't eat that jail food, an' hire me to bring his meals to him frum the hotel. His cell was fixed up lake a hotel room wid a fine brussells rug, nice tables an' chairs. He kep' plenty of beer an' whiskey to drink. He'd giv' the jailer munney to bring him wimmin at night. Fer munney you can do mos' anything. He would allus give me a drink when I took his meals. I worker 37 years for Mr. Tom Armistead , who help W. T. Crawford an' brother defend Rothchild . Mr. Eppenstadt , a Jew, was mayor of Jefferson at the time an' acted as go-between man in the case. Master Tom Armistead nebber married. I kep' house an' cooked for him. He giv' me lots of fine clothes. I bet I owned more fine shirts than any Nigger in Texas. Master Tom got me a job as porter in the Capitol at Austin while he was Senator. I was wo'kin there when they moved in the new Capitol in 1888. They was gonna put on a big party an' say all the porters had to wear cut-a-way suits. I didn't hav' one, so the day 'fore the party I go over to Mr. Tom's room at the Bristol Hotel an' git one of his. I didn't know then it was a right new one he had made fer the party. When I go back to the Capitol all dressed up in that cut-a-way suit, I meet Mr. Templeton Houston . He recognize the suit an' say, "You sho look fine in Mr. Tom' s new suit". 'Bout that time Mr. Tom walked up. You know he giv' me that suit an' had him another one made fer the party. I wouldn't liv' whar there warn't no good white fo'ks

When Master Tom took sick in 1919 he knew he was gonna die. He send fer me an' when everyone was out of the room he call me to the bed an' say, "Andrew git that key to the cedar chest out of my pocket, an' unlock the chest an' bring me that tin box in it". I did lake he tole me. Then he unlock the tin box an' say, "Andrew , take that jewelry, will, Liberty Bonds an' all other valuables out of that box an' put them in a sack". I did lak he tole me. Then he say, "Andrew take that sack home an' tell your wife to put it under her pillow an' sleep on it till someone ask 'bout my will.
After Mr. Tom died, his brother Mr. John Armistead from Georgia, and Mr. Hence Benefield was there in the house lookin' fer Master Tom's papers and things. When I hear Mr. John ask 'bout the will, I tell him not to worry fer I'se had that will fer a month. I got the sack and turned it over to them jes' lak it was when Master Tom giv' it to me.

Andrew 'Smoky' Columbus was born in 1859 on the John J. Ellington plantation, one mile south of Lindon, Texas. He continued in the service of the Ellingtons until about 1878, when he moved to Jefferson, Texas. He carried meals to Abe Rothchild , who was in jail, charged with the murder of Diamond Eassie Moore . Andrew was 37 years a servant of Hon. Tom Armistead , and was a porter in the Capital at Austin when Armistead was a senator. Andrew now lives in Marshall, Texas. "I was bo'n a slave of Master John Ellington , who lived in Davis County(now Cass Co.), Texas. Master John had a big house and close by was a long, double row of slave quarters. It looked like a town. There was four boys and two girls in Master's fam'ly and one daughter, Miss Iula , married Lon Morris , that run the Lon Morris School. "Master John was one white man that sho' took care of his niggers. He give us plenty warn clothes and good shoes, and come see us and had Dr. Hume doctor us when we was sick. The niggers et home and middlin' and good eats as anybody. Master John's place joined the Haggard place, where they was lots of wild turkey and the slaves could go huntin' and roamin' when they wanted. "We had a church and a school for the slaves and the white folks helped us git book learnin'. Mos' of the niggers allus went to preachin' on Sunday. "The hands didn't work Saturday afternoons. That's when we'd wash our clothes and clean up for Sunday. There was parties and dances on Saturday night for them as wanted them. But there wasn't no whiskey drinkin' and fightin' at the parties. Mammy didn't go to them. She was religious and didn't believe in dancin' and sech like. On Christmas Master John allus give the slaves a big dinner and it didn't seem like slavery time. The niggers had a sight better time than they do now. "Master John did all the bossin' hisself. None of his niggers ever run off 'cause he was too good for them to do that. I only got one whippin' from him and it was for stealin' eggs from a hen's nest. My pappy was carriage driver for Master. I didn't do much of the work when I was a boy, jes' stayed round the house. "Master John raised lots of cotton and after it was baled he hauled it to Jefferson on ox wagons. I'd allus go with him, ridin' on top of the bales. I'll never forgit how scared I was when we'd cross Black Cypress on Roger's Ferryboat and it'd begin to rock.

I don't remember much about the war. When it was over Master John calls all his slaves together and says, 'You'se free now and you can go or stay.' He told the men who wanted to leave they could have a wagon and team, but most of them stayed. Pappy took a wagon and team and left but mammy and us children stayed and lived with Master Ellington 'bout 15 years after the war was over. When I left Master John I moved to Jefferson and married Corm Benton and we had three boys and two girls. While I was in Jefferson Sheriff Vine goes to Cincinnati after Abe Rothchild , for killin' 'Diamond Bessie .' Abe shot hisself in the forehead when he heared Sheriff Vine was after him, but it didn't kill him. There was sho' some stirrin' about when the sheriff fetch Abe back to Jefferson. "Mr. Sam Brown was the jailer. Abe wouldn't eat the jail food and hired me to bring his meals to him from the hotel. His cell was fired up like a hotel room, with a fine brussels rug and nice tables and chairs. He kep' plenty of whiskey and beer to drink. He'd allus give me a drink when I took his meals. I worked 37 years for Mr. Tom Armistead , who helped W.T. Crawford and his brother defend Rothchild . Mr. Eppenstadt , he was mayor of Jefferson then and acted as a go-between man in the case. "Master Tom Armistead never married and I kep' house and cooked for him. He give me lots of fine clothes. I bet I owned more fine shirts than any nigger in Texas. He got me a job as porter in the Capitol at Austin while he was senator. I was workin' there when they moved in the new Capitol in 1888. They was gonna put on a big party and say all the porters had to wear cutaway suits. I didn't have one, so the day 'fore the party I goes over to Mr. Tom' s room at the Bristol Hotel and git one of his. I didn't know then it was a right new one he had made for the party. When I goes back to the Capitol all dressed up in that cutaway suit, I meets Mr. Templeton Houston and he recognizes the suit and says, 'You who' look fine in Mr. Tom's new suit.' 'bout that time Mr. Tom walks up and, you know, he give no that suit and had him another one made for the party! I wouldn't live where there wasn't no good white folks.