We has some joyments on de plantation, no parties or dancin' but we has de corn huskin' and de nigger fights. For de corn huskin' everybody come to one place and dey gives de prize for findin' de red ear. On massa's place de prize am brandy or you am 'loved to kiss de gal you calls for. While us huskin' us sing lots. No, no, I's not gwine sing any dem songs, 'cause I's forgit and my voice sound like de bray of de mule. De nigger fights am more for de white folks' joyment but de slaves am 'lowed to see it. De massas of plantations match dere niggers 'cording to size and bet on dem. Massa Finnely have one nigger what weighs 'bout 150 pounds and him powerful good fighter and he like to fight. None lasts long with him. Den a new niggers comes to fight him. Dat fight am held at night by de pine torch light. A ring am made by de folks standin' 'round in de circle. Deys 'lowed to do anything with dey hands and head and teeth. Nothin' barred 'cept de knife and de club. Dem two niggers gits in de ring and Tom he starts quick, and dat new nigger he starts jus' as quick. Dat 'sprise Tom and when dey comes togedder it like two bulls  karsmash - it sounds like dat. Den it am hit and kick and bite and butt anywhere and any place for to best de udder. De one on de bottom bites knees or anything him can do. Dat's de way it go for half de hour. Fin'ly dat new nigger gits Tom in de stomach with he knee and a lick side de jaw at de same time and down go Tom and de udder nigger jumps on him with both feets, den straddle him and hits with right, left, right, left, right, side Tom's head. Dere Tom lay, makin' no 'sistence. Everybody am saysin', 'Tom have met he match, him am done.' Both am bleedin' and am awful sight. Well, dat new nigger 'laxes for to git he wind and den Tom , quick like de flash, flips him off and jump to he feet and befo' dat new nigger could git to he feet, Tom kicks him in de stomach, 'gain and 'gain. Dat nigger's body start to quaver and he massa say. 'Dat 'nough.' Dat de clostest Tom ever come to gittin' whupped what I's know of.

I becomes a runaway nigger short time after dat fight. De war am started den for 'bout a year, or somethin' like dat, and de Fed'rals am north of us. I hears de niggers talk 'bout it, and 'bout runnin' 'way to freedom. I thinks and thinks 'bout gittin' freedom, and I's gwine run off. Den I thinks of de patter rollers and what happen if dey cotches me off de place without de pass. Den I thinks of some joyment sich as de corn huskin' and de fights and de singin' and I don't know what to do. I tells you one singin' but I can't sing it:   De moonlight, a shinin' star, De big owl hootin' in de tree; O, bye, my baby, ain't you gwineter sleep, A-rockin' on my knee?  Bye, my honey baby, A-rackin' on my knee, Baby done gone to sleep, Owl hush hootin' in de tree.  She gone to sleep, honey baby sleep, A-rockin' on my, a-rockin' on my knee.' Now, back to de freedom. One night 'bout ten niggers run away. De next day we'uns hears nothin', so I says to myself. 'De patters don't cotch dem.' Den I makes up my mind to go and I leaves with de chunk of meat and cornbread and am on my way, half skeert to death. I sho' has de eyes open and de ears forward, watchin' for de patters. I steps off de road in de night, at sight of anything, and in de day I takes to de woods. It takes me two days to make dat trip and jus' once de patters pass me by. I am in de thicket watchin' dem and I's sho' dey gwine search dat thicket. 'cause dey stops and am a-tellin' and lookin' my way. Dey stands dere for a li'l bit and den one comes my way. Lawd A-mighty! Dat sho' look like de end, but dat man stop and den look and look. Den he pick up somethin' and goes back. It am a bottle and dey all takes de drink and rides on. I's sho' in de sweat and I don't tarry dere long. De Yanks am camped near Bellfound and dere's where I gits to. 'Magine my 'sprise when I finds all de ten runaway niggers am dere, too. Dat am on a Sunday and on de Monday, de Yanks puts us on de freight train and we goes to Stevenson, in Alabama. Dere, us put to work buildin' breastworks. But after de few days, I gits sent to de headquarters at Nashville, in Tennessee.

I's water toter dere for de army and dere am no fightin' at first but 'fore long dey starts de battle. Dat battle am a 'sperience for me. De noise am awful, jus' one steady roar of de guns and de cannons. De window glass in Nashville am all shook out from de statement of de cannons. Dere am dead mens all over de ground and lots of wounded and some cussin' and some prayin'. Some am moanin' and dis and dat one cry for de water and, God A-mighty, I don't want any sich 'gain. Dere am men carryin' de deed off de field, but dey can't keep up with de cannons. I helps bury de dead and den I gits sent to Murphysboro and dere it am jus' de same.  You knows when Abe Lincoln am shot? Well,  I's in Nashville den and it am near de end of de war and I am standin' on Broadway Street talkin' with de sergeant when up walk a man and him shakes hands with me and says.  'I's proud to meet a brave, young fellow like you.' Dat man am Andrew Johnson and him come to be president after Abe's dead.  I stays in Nashville when de war am over and I marries Tennessee House in 1875 and she died July 10th, 1936. Dat make 61 year dat we'uns am togedder. Her old missy am now livin' in Arlington Heights, right here in Fort Worth and her name am Mallard and she come from Tennessee, too I comes here from Tennessee 51 year ago and at fust I farms and den I works for de packin' plants till dey lets me out, 'cause I's too old for to do 'nough work for dem.  I has eight boys and three girls, dat make eleven chillen, and dey makin' scatterment all over de country so  I's alone in my old age. I has dat $17,00 de month pension what I gits from de State. Dat am de end of de road.

John Finnely , 86, was born a slave to Mr. Martin Finnely , who owned John's parents with about 75 other slaves and a large plantation located in Jackson Co., AL Mr. Finnely being a hard taskmaster, about 10 of his slaves escaped. Their success caused to attempt it, and he also was successful. He joined the Federal Army and met all the other runaways in the service. He was commended by Vice Pres. Andrew Johnson , who later became Pres. after Pres. A. Lincoln's demise. At the war's termination, John engaged in farming. He later came to Texas and farmed until he went to work in the Ft. Worth packing plants in 1917. Old age caused his dismissal in 1930. He married in 1875 and reared 11 children. His wife died July 10, 1936. He now lives at 2812 Cliff St., Ft. Worth, Tex., and his sole support is a $17.00, monthly pension recieved from the State of Texas. His story:

Alabama am de state whar I's bo'n. 'Twas 86 yeahs 'go, in Jackson County, on Marster Martin Finnely's plantation. Him owned 'bout 75 udder slaves 'sides my mammy an' I's. My father am on de plantation but I's not know him. My mammy never talk 'bout him 'cept to says, "He am heah". Marster run a cotton plantation but raised udder stuff. It am feed fo' de stock an' rations fo' de humans sich as co'n, cane, fruit an' veg'tables. Twas diffe'nt w'en I's a youngun dan 'tis now. Den, 'twas needful fo' to raise ever'thing yous need, 'cause dey couldn't d'pend on facto'y made goods. Dey could buy shoes an' clothes an' sich but weuns could make dem so much cheapah, so all de clothes am made right dere on de place. W'at all weuns make? Well now, 'lows me to 'collect a little. Lets see, weuns make shoes, leathah, cloth, clothes, an' grind de meal. Weuns also cure de meat, preserve de fruit, make de 'lasses an' de brown sugah. Weuns make all de hahness fo' de mules an' de hosses an' make de cahts fo' de haulin'. Now, let me see. Am dat all? Oh yas. De Marster makes peach brandy an' him have his own still. De wo'k am divided 'twix de cullud fo'ks. Allus have de certain duties to do. I's am a field hand. Befo' I's ol' 'nough fo' to do dat, deys have me he'p wid de chores an' run errands. I's 'bout 12 yeahs ol' w'en I's put to plowin' an' hoein' an sich. De cullud fo'ks all live in de cullud quatahs. De cabins was lak all de cabins ob dem days. Built ob logs, one room, one dooah, one windah hole, no glass an' a dirt flooah. Fo' sleep-in', dere am bunks wid straw ticks. Dere was no cookin' done in de cabins on de Marster's place. De cookin' am done in de cook house by de cooks fo' allus niggers an' weuns eat in de eatin' shed. De rations am good, plain victuals. Dere was plenty ob it an' 'bout twice a week, dere was something fo' a treat. Marster sho am pa'ticulah 'bout de feedin', specially de younguns dat am in de nursery. You see, dere am de nursery fo' sich dat need care w'ile dere mammies am awo'kin'. Yas Sar! De Marster feed plenty an' him demand wo'k, mo' plenty. Dat cause a heap ob trouble on dat plantation. Whuppin's am given, ah' some hahd ones, too. As I's says befo', de Marster set me to plowin' w'en I'se 'bout 12 yeahs ol'. Many times at de end ob de day, I's so tired dat I'se couldn't speak fo' to stop de mule. I'se jus' have to lean back on de lines. No, dis nigger never gits de whuppin's fo' not wo'kin' 'cept fo' dis:  It am befo' I's a field hand. De Marster used me fo' huntin'. Him use me fo' de gun rest. W'en him have a long shot, I'se bend over an' put my hands on my knees wi'le de Marster put his gun on my back fo' to git a good aim. Also, w'at him kills, I's run an' fetch an' carry de game fo' him. Also, I's tu'n de squirrels fo' him. W'at I's do am to walk 'roun' de tree, den de squirrel watches me an' goes to de udder side f'om de huntah. W'at I's do am to walk 'roun' de tree, den de squirrel watches me an' goes to de udder side whar de Marster am astandin' still. Den he gits de shot. All dat am not so bad but w'en he shoots de duck in de wautah an' I'se have to fetch it out, dat gives me de worryments So, de whuppin' comes dis away. De fust time he tells me to fetch de duck f'om de pond, I's skeert, powe'ful skeert. I's stahts to git ready, tooks off my shirt an' pants but thar I's stands. I's steps in de wautah, den back 'gain, an' 'gain. De Marster am gittin' mad. He finally says: Swim in dere an' git dat duck!" Yas sar, yas sar, Marster", I's says, but I's jus' keep steppin' in an' back. Finally de Marster cuts a switch an' gits behind me. He hits 'bout three good licks an' den in I's goes. I's could never git used to bein' de wautah dog fo' ducks. Dat am de only whuppin' I's gits, never was tied to de log. De worst whuppin' I's ever see am given to Clarinda . She hit de Marster over de head wid a hoe. I's tell yous w'y she hit de Marster. 'Twas 'cause him tries to interfere wid her an' she tries to stop him. She am put on de log an' given 500 lashes. She am over dat log all day an' w'en deys took her off, she am limp an' acts lak she am dead. 'Twas a week befo' she can git out ob her bunk. Dat whuppin' cause heap ob trouble. Dere am lots ob a'guments 'mong de w'ite fo'ks ob de neighbahood an' de Missy j'in de a'gument.

Yous wants me to tell 'bout de 'joyments on de plantation? Dere was no pahties or dancin' but weuns have de co'n huskin' an' de nigger fights. De co'n huskin' am w'en de cullud fo'ks ob de neighbahood come to one place an' j'in in de huskin' ob de co'n. Deys give prizes fo' findin' de red ear. On de Marster's place, de prize am a glass ob brandy, or yous am 'lowed to kiss de girl yous call fo'. W'ile de cullud fo'ks am huskin', deys sing lots. No, no, I's not gwine to sing any ob dem songs. I's fo'got an' my voice soun' lak de bray ob de mule. No sar, yous not gwine to git dis nigger singin'. De nigger fights am mo' fo' de w'ite fo'k's 'joyment but allus niggers am 'lowed to see it. De Marsters ob de diffe'nt plantations match dere niggers, 'cordin' to size, an' den bet on dem. Marster Finnelly has one nigger dat weighed 'bout 150 pounds an' him was awful good fightah. Dat nigger am quick lak a cat an' powe'ful fo' his size an' he lak to fight. Dat nigger win de battle quick. None last long wid him. Well, aftah a w'ile, dere am a new nigger come to de neighbahood an' den dere was a vicious fight. I's see dat one. De fight am held at night by de pine torch light. A ring am made by de fo'ks standin' 'roun' in de circle an' de niggers git in dat circle. Deys fight widout a rest 'til one give up or can't git up. Deys 'lowed to do anything wid dey hands, head and teeth. Sho, dat's it. Nothin' barred 'cept de knife an' clubs. Well sar, dem two niggers gits into de ring. Tom , dat am de Marster's nigger, him stahts quick lak him always do but de udder nigger stahts jus' as quick an' dat 'sprise Tom . It am de fust time a niggers jus' as quick as him. W'en deys come togedder, it am lak two bulls. Kersmash!, it sounds w'en deys hits. Den it am hit, kick, bite, an' butt anywhar, anyplace, anyway fo' to best de udder. Fust one down an' de udder on top apoundin', den 'tis de udder one on top. De one on de bottom, bites knees or anything dat him can do. Dat's de way it goes fo' ha'f an houah. Both am awful tired an' gittin' slow but am still fightin'. 'Taint much 'vantage fo' either one. Finally dat udder nigger gits Tom in de stomach wid his knee an' a lick 'side de jaw at de same time. Down goes Tom an' de udder nigger jumps on him wid both feet, den straddles him an' hits wid right, left, right, left, right, side Tom's head. Dere Tom layed makin' no 'sistence. Ever'body am saysin',  Tom have met his match, him am done.  Both am bleedin' an' am awful sight. Well, dat nigger relaxes fo' to git his wind or something an' den Tom , quick lak a flash, flips him off an' jumps to his feet. Befo' dat nigger could git to his feet, Tom kicks him in de stomach, 'gain an' 'gain. Dat nigger's body stahts to quiver an' his Marster says, "'nough". Dat am de clostest dat Tom ever came to gittin' whupped dat I's know ob. Dey m'ybe found some one aftah dat. If dey did, I's don't know 'bout it 'cause I's become a runawayer nigger a sho't time aftah de fight. De wah was stahted den fo' 'bout a yeah, or something lak dat an' de Fed'rals am no'th ob weuns. I's heah de ol' niggers talk 'bout it. Deys also talk 'bout gwine to be runawayers fo' de freedom. I's think an' think 'bout gittin' freedom an' w'en I's how hahd de Marster make weuns wo'k, I's think, well, I's gwine to run off. Den I's think ob de Patter Rollers an' w'at would happen if deys catch me off de place widout de pass. Den I's think ob some ob de 'joyment on de Marster's place dat I's lak, sich as de co'n huskin', nigger fights, an' de singin' an' den I's don't know w'at to do. Yas, thar am some powe'ful good singin' on de Marster's place allright, allright. I's jus' tell de wo'ds ob one. It am dis away: De moonlight, a shinin' star. De big owl a hootin' in de tree. Oh by my baby, aint you gwine to sleep a rockin' on my knee? By, oh my honey ba-by, a rockin' on my knee, baby done gone to sleep, de owl hush hootin' in de tree. Yas, she gone to sleep, honey ba-by sleep a rockin' on my, a rockin' on my knee. Thar 'tis, an' dat's all. Now back to de freedom. One night, 'twas 'bout ten niggers become runawayers. De next day, weuns heah nothin' 'bout dem, so I's says to myse'f, "De Patters don't catch dem". Den I's make up my mind to go if de Patters or de overseer don't bring dem back de next day. Well, dey don't, so dat night, I's become a runawayer nigger too. I's leave wid a chunk ob meat an' co'n bread, an' am on my way, ha'f skeert to death. I's sho have my eyes open, an' my ears fo'ward, watchin' fo' de Patters. I's step off de road in de night at de sight ob ever'thing an' in de day, I's took to de woods. It took me two days to make de trip an' jus' once de Patter Rollers pass by me. I's am in a thicket a watchin' dem, an' I's sho deys gwine to search dat thicket 'cause deys stop an' am talkin' an' lookin' my way. Deys stand dere fo' a little bit an' den one ob dem comes my way. Lawd a mighty! Dat sho look lak de end but dat man stops an' den looks an' looks. Den he picks up something an' goes back to de udder fellows. It am a bottle. Deys all took a drink an' rides on. Man, I's sho in a sweat an' I's don't tarry dere long. De yanks am camped neah Bellfount an' dere's whar I's gits to.

'Magine my s'prise w'en I's find all de udder runawayers am dere too. I's sho glad to see dem. Dat am on a Sunday, an' on de Monday, de yanks puts weuns on a freight train an' sends weuns to Stevenson, Alabama.  Dere, weuns was put to wo'k, buildin' breastwo'ks. I's wo'kin' jus' a little w'en de headman comes by an' tol' dem to let me tote de wautah. Den aftah a few days, de yanks sends me to de headquatahs at Nashville, Ten'see. I's wautah toter dere fo' de ahmy. 'Twarnt any fightin' at fust but 'twarnt long 'til deys stahts a battle. Dat battle am a 'sperience fo' me. I's still wautah toter an' am not up f'on but I's see de fightin' an' don't care fo' mo'. De noise am awful. Jus' one steady roar ob de guns an' de cannons. De windah glass in Nashville am all shook out f'om de shakement ob de cannons. Dere am dead mens all over de ground. Dere am lots ob dem wounded, some am cussin' an' some am prayin Some am moanin' an' den dere am some dat jus' says nothin' but jus' lays dere. Dis one an' dat cry fo' wautah. God fo' might I's don't want any sich 'gain. Dere am men carryin' de dead off de field but deys can't keep up wid de cannons. De next day, deys call fo' me to he'p bury de dead. Aftah dat, deys send me to Murphysboro, an' dere it am de same. Yous know w'en Abe Lincoln am shot? Well, I's in Nashville den. It am neah de close ob de wah an' I's am standin' on Broad- way Street, talkin' wid de Sergeant ob de comp'ny I's in, w'en up walks a man an' stahts to talk to de Sergeant. Him shakes hands wid me an' says, "I's proud to meet a brave young fellow lak yous". Dat man am Andrew Johnson an' him become de pres'dent aftah Abe's death. I's stay in Nashville w'en de wah am over. I's mai'ied to Ten'see House in 1875. She died July 10th, 1936. Dat makes 61 yeahs dat weuns am togedder. Her ol' Missy am now livin' in Arlington Heights, right heah in Fort Worth. Her name am Mallard . She come f'om Ten'see too. My wife an' she often visit an' dey sho lak each udder. I's come heah f'om Ten'see, 51 yeahs ago. At fust, I's fahmed an' den I's wo'ked fo' de packin' plants 'til deys let me out 'cause I's too ol' fo' to do 'nough wo'k fo' dem.I's have eight boys an' three girls, dat makes eleven chilluns an' deys makin' scatterment all over de country so I's 'lone in my ol' age.I's now livin' on de $17.00 de month pension dat I's gits f'om de State. Dat am de end ob de road.