*Bert Strong was born in 1864, a slave of Dave Cavin. He and his mother
remained in the service of the Cavin family for ten years after they
were freed. Bert has farmed in Harrison County all his life and now
lives alone on Long's Camp Road, twelve miles northeast of Marshall. He
is supported by a $15.00 per month pension.*
"I been livin' here all my life. I was birthed a year and more 'fore the
war stopped and 'longed to old Dave Cavin. All my folks 'longed to him
over in Montgomery, in Alabama. Massa Dave buyed my mammy's papa off a
'baccy farm in Richmond, in Virginny. I heared Massa Dave say he done
come to Texas 'cause he heared in Alabama this was a rich country--hawgs
walkin' round with a knife in they back and you could shake money off
the trees. His folks and 'bout thirty slaves cone to Texas in wagons.
They was on the road three months.
"I heared my grand-people tell 'bout holpin' run the Indians out of
Texas. Big Lake, on Caddo Lake, was jus' a small kind of stream them
days. My grandpa was name Gloster and he died at a hunerd five years.
"Massa Cavin had 'bout four hunerd acres and builded us all good
quarters with chimnies and fireplaces, and good beds and plenty food.
I's too little to know all this 'fore the war, but my folks stayed with
massa ten years after freedom and things was jus' the same as in slave
times, only they got a little money, so I can 'member.
"My grandma was cook and there was plenty wild game, turkey and deer and
pigeon and rabbits and squirrels. I 'member once they's grumblin' 'bout
what they have to eat and old massa comes to the quarters and say, 'What
you fussin' 'bout? They's a gallon good potlicker in the pot." I's raise
on greens and pork and potlicker and 'taters and ash-cake. Dat am good
food, too. I ain't never hope to see no better food dan dat.
"Massa give he slaves two sets clothes a year and one pair 'bachelor'
brogan shoes with brass toes. The white folks larnt us Negroes to read
and write, at night and on Sunday, and we could go to church. We had our
own preacher, and massa let us have fun'rals when a slave died. They
wasn't no undertakers then. They jus' made the coffin and planed the
boards and lined it with black cloth. The white folks and the cullud
folks, too, was put 'way nice on our place.
"They was a overseer a while, but massa fires him for cuttin' and
slashin' he niggers. He made my uncle Freeman overlooker. We is heared
slaves on farms close by hollerin' when they git beat. Some the
neighbors works they hands till ten at night and weighed the last
weighin' by candles. If the day's pickin' wasn't good 'nough, they beat
them till it a pity.
"Christmas was the big time. Massa kilt the hawg or beef and sometimes a
mutton, and give the slaves the big dinner. Us all hang the stockin' up
on massa's gallery and it was a run to see what we'd git. He give the
chillen toys and apples and the big folks somethin' to wear. He'd 'low
the chillen to have candy pullin' Saturday nights and the growed folks
parties. My cousin, Tom, was songster and call the plays at all the
dances, and they turned 'cordin' to what he'd sing.
"When young massa went to war they calls all the slaves to tell him
good-bye. They blowed the horn. He come home two times on a furlough and
says, 'I's smellin' and seein' the Devil.' Then the nex' time he come
home he say, 'Las' time I tells you 'bout smellin' the Devil. I's
smellin' and seein' Hell now.' When the war am over, he come home and
say to old massa, 'Ain't you read the 'lamation to you niggers yet?'
Massa say he hasn't, and young massa blowed the horn and calls us all up
and tells us we's free as he is and could work for who we please, but he
like us to stay till the crop am out. He say he'd hire us and make a
contrac'. Me and my mammy stays ten years, 'cause they so good it ain't
no use to leave. One of the young massas am livin' here now, Mr. Tom,
and I goes to see him.
[Illustration: _Bert Strong_]
"I stays with mammy till I marries and then farms for myself. That all I
ever done and I'd be doin' it now if I was able. I raises two boys but
they am both dead now.
"I votes once in the county 'lection and once in the president 'lection.
I think any man should vote, but it ain't 'tended for women to vote.
"Mos' the young niggers am gwine to Hell. They don't 'preciate things.
They has lots more'n we ever did. They can go to school and all, but
they don't 'preciate it."