*Smoky Eulenberg,*
*Jackson, Missouri.*
*(Written from F.C.*
*in Sikeston District.)*
"I was born on October 13, 1854. My master was Henry Walker and we live
'bout three mile from Jackson. De house was of logs. One of dose big
double kind wid a open hall in between. Solomon Eulenberg was my father
and he was a big fine looking man. My mother come fum Tennessee when she
was ten year old.
"Master had nearly a hundred slaves and dey was about ten or twelve
cabins in de quarters. Dey was a big feeding barn where we'd hitch up
and go to work. De barn was built of big hewed logs, too.
"No'm, dey wasn't none of us ever try to run away. We had a good home
and we all stayed till dey declare peace and lots of us kept on a
staying 'cause we didn't know nothing else to do. But my father was
industrious--he worked hard and saved his money and in a couple of year
he bought a team and we moved to a little place.
"But lots of de cullud folks had it hard dem days--dey was jest turned
loose and didn't know what to do. Some of de white folks was mighty good
to 'em. If they'd hear of a family being hungry dey'd send food to 'em
or have 'em come to dey kitchen.
"A cose mebbe it don't sound right but in some ways I often wish we's
back in dem days. We had a fine place. Every year we'd kill seventy or
seventy-five hogs--and had plenty of every thing. We ate our meals in
our own cabin but every morning at seven, de colored housewoman went to
de smoke house to cut meat for de day. Us youngsters all ganged up round
her, hoping to get something. Lotsa times missus would ask us if we's
hungry and bring us into de kitchen and give us what dey had left.
Sometime she have de women make up pancakes for us. Us children had de
chores to do--and any work dat we's able.
"We didn't have no school. A woman come and stay all year round jest to
teach little Miss Lucy and she taught some of de cullud children to read
and write. Missus would have a preacher come once a month to preach. I
rec'lect his name was Rev. Watts. All of us would come into de big house
for meeting.
"Many a time we seen soldiers pass on de road but dey never molested us
none, 'cept to come in and eat everything that was cooked--and sometime
have de women cook up some more. One Sunday morning a bunch of 'em come
by--dey had been over to Burfordville and burned de mill. Another Sunday
a bunch of Rebs come by and camped 'bout a mile from our place. Dat
night de Blue Coats ran onto 'em. Dey killed about thirty. Next morning
us boys went over there and what we saw didn't suit me none. Some of de
cullud men helped to bury 'em.
"We had lots a good times in dem days. Us boys played marbles and ball
and other games like boys will. On Saturdays from five to nine we all
had off--den we'd congregate--and have singing and dancing. At Christmas
and such days we'd have a big time. When dey's a wedding missus always
dressed 'em and fixed 'em up. I rec'lect one time missus sold my mother
and four children but it wasn't no trade. De woman's name was Mrs.
Sheppard and she was a sassy old woman. She come into my mother's cabin
and grabbed her and told her she going to take her home. Mother jes'
pushed her out de door and said she wouldn't go--and she told missus she
wouldn't go--so dey had to call it off--it was no trade."
(Smoky Eulenberg lives about three blocks northwest of the courthouse in
Jackson. The house was all nice and clean, his sheets and pillows all
snowy white and freshly ironed. He has been bedfast for a long time. His
wife is an interesting person, but she remembers nothing of slave days.)