*Mollie Taylor, 84, was born a slave to John Wilson, at Campbell, Texas.
After she was freed, Mollie moved with her family to an adjoining farm
which they worked on shares. Mollie now lives at 522 Seaton St., Fort
Worth, Texas.*
"Now den, I's no record of when I's born and just what de white folks
tells me is all I knows. I'll be 84 this coming October, but just what
day I don't know. I's born on Massa John Wilson's farm at Campbell,
Texas and him owned my father and mother and 'bout 20 more slaves. Dere
was 'bout four or five chillen in we'uns family. My father died and I
don't 'member much 'bout him, but his name was Anson Wilson and my
mother name was Hattie Wilson. We'uns gits de name from de massa.
"Us slaves lived in log houses back of massa's house, and they was two
and three-room houses with dirt floors and de rock fireplace and just
holes for windows. De flies come in de door and go out de window, but
most of 'em stayed in de house. Dere was no furniture like am today. No,
suh, it was homemake stuff. De bunks was built 'gainst de wall and full
of straw or hay and de tables was made of split logs. Dere was de cook
room and de eatin' room where all de slaves meals cooked and they ate,
'tween de slaves quarters and de massa's house.
"Massa Wilson, him feed us purty good, with de cornmeal and 'lasses and
plenty coffee and milk. We has white flour once a week and massa git de
sugar by de barrel. De slaves could have dere own gardens and dey raised
most dere vegetables. All de chillen ate out of de wooden trough with
wooden spoons. It was a sight to watch them, day just like de bunch of
pigs.
"De overseer, him ring de bell 'bout half past four in de mornin' and
everybody what work go to de fields. De massa purty reason'ble with de
work and didn't whip much. On Sundays de old slaves goes to de church
and de chillen plays.
"When war come dere lots of soldiers allus ridin' by de place, all deck
out in de uniform with big, shiny buttons on de coat. When us chillen
seed dem we took to de woods.
"After freedom we'uns moves to de next farm and works and I stays dere
with my family till I's 'bout 25 year old, and den I marries Tom Gould
and move to McLennan County. But he so mean I didn't stay with him very
long, and 'bout six months of his foolishness and I ups and leaves him.
After two years I marries George Taylor and I lives with dat man for 12
years and took 'nough of his foolishness, so I leaves him. I's had four
chillen but Tom Gould nor George Taylor wasn't de father of any of 'em.
No, suh, I just found dem chillen."