*Henry Probasco, 79, was born a slave of Andrew McGowen, who owned a
plantation and 50 slaves in Walker County, Texas. Henry lived with his
family, in Waco, until 1875, when he became a stock hand on Judge
Weakly's ranch in Ellis County. In 1902 he came to Fort Worth and worked
in packing plants until 1932. Since that time he has supported himself
by any little work he could find and now has an $8.00 per month pension.
He lives at 2917 Cliff St., Fort Worth, Texas.*
"I's born on Massa McGowen's plantation. He name was Andrew McGowen and
us lived near Huntsville, down in Walker County. All my folks and
grandfolks was dere. Grandpap am carpenter, grandma am nuss for cullud
chillen, and pappy and mammy does de shoemakin' and de cookin'.
"In de days I's a boy even de plows was made on de place. De blacksmith
do de iron work and de wood work am done by pappy, and de plows am
mostly wood. Jus' de point and de shear am iron. My grandpap made de
mouldboards out of wood. No, sar, 'twarnt no steel mouldboards den. I's
watch grandpap take de hard wood block and with de ax and de drawshave
and de plane and saw and rule, him cut and fit de mouldboard to de
turnin' plow. De mouldboard las' 'bout one year.
"Now, with de shoes it am dif'rent and dem last more'n twict de time as
store shoes. Gosh for 'mighty! We'uns can't wear dem out. De leather am
from cattle raise on de place and tan right dere. It am real oak tan,
and strong as steel. We'uns grease de shoes with mutton tallow and dat
make dem waterproof shoes.
"Cotton am main crop and corn for feed. De corn feed both de critters
and de niggers, 'cause de main food for de niggers am de corn and de
cornbread and de corn mush. Course, us have other victuals, plenty meat
and veg'tables. De hawgs allus run in de woods and find dere own food,
sich as nuts and acorns. Dey allus fat and when massa want meat he hitch
de mules to de wagon and go to de woods. Dere him catch de hawg with
massa's mark on it and fotch it in.
"De quarters am not mansions, dey am log cabins with dirt floors, but
good 'nough. Dey am fixed tight for de winter. If you am used to
sleepin' in de bunks with straw ticks, it's jus' good as de spring bed.
De fust time I sleeps on de spring bed, I's 'wake most all night.
"When surrender come, massa told we'uns dat all us am free folks and he
reads from de paper. 'Now,' him say, yous am free and dem what wants to
go, let me know. I'll 'range for de pay or to work de land on shares.'
"Some goes but all my folks stays, but in 'bout a year pappy moves to
Waco and run a shoe shop. I stays with him till I 17 year old, den I
goes to Ellis County and works on de cattle ranch of Judge Weakly. His
brand am 111 and him place clost to Files Valley. I's larnt to ride some
on de plantation and soon I's de good rider and I likes dat work best.
"We has lots of fun when we goes to town, not much drinkin', like some
people says, but its mostest mischievious de boys am. We gits de joke on
de preacher once. Him tellin' 'bout harm of drink and one of us say,
'Read from de Bible, Proverbs 31, 6 and 7. Him reads and it am like dis:
'Give de strong drink to dem dat am ready to perish and wine to dem what
am heavy of heart.' Dat de last time him talk to us 'bout drink.
"We'uns holds de Kangaroo Court. If we'uns been on de party and someone
do something what ain't right, den charges am file 'gainst you. If dem
charges file, it's sho' you's found guilty, 'cause de fine am a drink
for de bunch. If you don't buy de drink it's a lickin' with a pair of
leggin's. If you 'low de hoss to throw you, dat am cause for charges.
"De last round-up I works am at Oak Grove, near Fort Worth and dat 'bout
40 year ago. After dat, I goes to Mulesfoot and works for T.D. Myers for
'bout five year, den I's done a little farmin' on de plains for awhile.
"I'll tell you 'bout my married life. I marries de fust time when I's 24
year old to Bertha Ellers and we'uns live togedder 20 year and
sep'rates. We'uns have 11 chillen. Couple year after dat I goes to de
cotton patch for de short spell and meets a woman. We'uns right off
married and dat hitch lasts till de pickin' season am over. Den, 'bout
two year after dat cotton pickin' hitch I marries Mary Little and we'uns
lives togedder two year and dat am two year too many. Dat de last of de
marriage business.
"Now I jus' fools de time away and I has no one to fuss at me 'bout
where I goes and sich. Sich am my joyment now."