I was bo'n in Milam 'bout fifteen mile' no'th of San Augustine in 1851. Dat mek me 86 year' ol'. My mudder an' fadder dey was slaves. Us was brung to Jasper in 1854. I was on'y three year' ol' den. Cunnel McCray he was our marster an' die' our boss. He hab fo'ty head of niggers but he nebber hit one of dem a lick in his life. He own' a big farm an' farmed. He hab a nigger fo'man name' Bill Cummins . He ten' to all his bus'ness, an' Cunnel McCray he jus' come down 'cassionally an' look 'roun' an' see how t'ings was gittin' 'long. I stay wid him 'til I's free. Dey mek a nuss outn' me an' sen' me to nuss de chillun of Mister an' Mistus Kit W'ite . Dey was mighty good frien's of my marster. I nuss de chillun ten year' an' Mistus W'ite nebber eben slap my jaw. I nebber was whip' by nobuddy but my mudder. Us hab a good marster but some of de neighbors treat' dere slaves rough. Ol' Dr. Neylan ' of Jasper, he been dead 'long time ago. He hab 75 or 80 slaves. He was rich an' hard on 'um. One day two of his niggers, Tom an' Ike , dey run 'way. Dey was brudders. Dey tek de blood houn's an' ketch dem two niggers an' brung 'um in. One de niggers grab up a club an' knock one of Dr. Neylan's houn' in de haid an' kill' him. Dey tuk dat dawg an' cook him an' mek dem niggers eat part of him. Den dey gib dem bofe a beatin' an' sen' dem back to wuk.

De ol' log jail in Jasper it uster stan' w'er Fish' sto' (store) is now. Dey hab a place tuther side of de jail w'er dey whip' niggers. De whippin' pos' was a big log. Dey mek de niggers lay down on it an' strap 'em to it. I was a li'l boy den an' me an' two w'ite boys, Coley McCray an' Henry Munn , we uster slip 'roun' down dere an' watch 'em. Coley an' Henry bofe grow' up an' go to de war but neder one come back. Sam Swan he was de sherif'. He ketch two runaway niggers one day. Dey was brudders an' dey was name' Rufe an' John Grant . Well, he tuk dem an' put dem in de jail. Some of de men git dem out an' tek dem down to de whippin' pos' an' den dey strap dem down an' gib dem one ter'ble lashin' an' den t'row salt in dere woun's an' you could hear dem niggers holler for a mile. Den dey tuk dem back to de farm to wuk. Dey hang good many niggers 'roun' Jasper. In slav'ry time dey hang a nigger name' Jim Henderson at Mayhaw Pon' (Pond). Us boys went dere an' mark de tree. Two cullud men, Tom Jeff'son an' Sam Powell , dey kill' anudder nigger an' dey hang dem to de ol' w'ite oak tree w'at dey is dere sout' of Jasper Co'te House. Atter dey buil' de new jail dey hang Joe Jackson in it cause he kill' Cal Lewis . 'Nudder time later on dey hang 'nudder cullud man name' Golden in de same jail. Atter I was free I cook for Cap'n Kellie in his mil'tery camps for twenty-one year'. Den I cook for boats w'at run up an' down de Neches an' Angelina Ribbers. I wants to say too dat I wuk for ev'ry sherif' in Jasper County 'cep'n de las' one. Guess I's too young to wuk for him. I git a pension of seben dollar a mont'. I don' 'ten to ax for mo' cause I skeered dey cut it off all togedder. Some of dem tol' me dey gwine to raise' my pension cause I wuk so long in de mil'tery camp. But I got a few chicken' an' a good gyarden an' I doin' tol'able well, t'ank de Lawd.

Bill McRay was born in Milas, fifteen miles north of San Augustine, Texas, in 1851. He is a brother of C.B. McRay . Col. McRay was his owner (the name may have been spelled McCray , Bill says). Bill now lives in Jasper, Texas. He is said to be an expert cook, having cooked for hotels, boats and military camps 40 years. I was born in Milam in 1851 and dat makes me 86 year ole. My mother and father was slaves and dey brung me to Jasper in 1854. Colonel McRay , he was our marster and die' our . He nave 40 head of niggers, but he never hit one of 'em a lick in his life. He own a big farm and have a foreman named Bill Cummins . I stay with de Colonel till after I's free. Us have good marster, but some of de neighbors treat dere slaves rough. Ole Dr. Neyland of Jasper, he have 75 or 80 slaves and he was rich and hard on de slaves. One day two run away, Tom and Ike , and Dr. Noyland takes de bloodhoun's and ketch dose two niggers and brung 'em in. One of de niggers takes a club and knock one of de houn's in de head and kilt him. Day cook dat dog and make dem niggers eat part of him. Don day give both of 'em a beatin'. De ole log jail in Jasper. It useter stan' whar de Fish Store is now. Dey have a place t'other side de jail whar dey whip niggers. De whippin' pos' was a big log. Dey make de niggers lie down on it and strap 'em to it. I was a lil' boy den and me and two white boys. Coley McRay and Henry Munn , we useter slip 'round and watch 'em. Coley and Henry both grow up and go to war but neither one come back. "Sam Swan , he was sheriff, and he ketch two runaway niggers one day. Dey was brudders and dey was name Rufe and John Grant . Well, he takes 'em and puts dem in jail and some of de men gits 'em out end takes 'em down to do whippin' pos' and den strap 'em down and give 'em one terrible lashin' and den throw salt in dere wounds and you could near dem niggers holler for a mile. Den dey took 'em back to de farm to wo'k. Dey hanged good many niggers 'round Jasper. In slavery times dey hangs a nigger name Jim Henderson , at Maynow Pond. Us boys wen' dere and mark de tree. Two cullud men, Tom Jefferson and Sam Powell , dey kill anudder nigger and dey hang dem to do ole white oak tree what is south of Jasper Court House.