*Interview with Louis Thomas,*
*St. Louis, Missouri.*
_Slave Hitched To Plow_
The subject of this sketch is Louis Thomas, 93 years of age who lives at
3007 Clark Avenue with his oldest daughter, Laura Richardson and family.
In the middle room of a 3-room brick apartment laid Louis Thomas,
confined to his bed, with a severe cold, but kind enough to be
interviewed by the writer. The old man was clean and quite composed and
said he had been interviewed so often it was a common thing to him. He
was 6 feet tall and weighed 174 when taken sick. The home was very
poorly furnished but clean. He is of dark complexion with white hair. He
said:
"I was born in Pickens County, Alabama, May 9, 1844. My mother's name
was Tama and my father's was Thomas Windom. Our owner was Levy Windom. I
had 2 sisters and 2 brothers. I married Caroline Windom. She was owned
by the same folks I was, we had 11 children but only 2 is living. The
oldest one, Laura Richardson, I am living with. The other daughter's
name is Evergreen Richardson, living at 3100 Clark Avenue. Dey are both
Richardson's but dere husbands are not related.
"I been living in St. Louis since 1923. When I was a slave, I had to
plow barefooted, hooked to a double horse plow. For 8 or 10 years of dat
time we had a white overseer in de summer. I did not only plow
barefooted but naked as well. In de winter dey allowed me a few clothes
but not many. I worked from daylight until dark, I didn't know nothing
'bout time.
"Making and gathering crop was my biggest task. We made 500 bales of
cotton a year, besides growing wheat, potatoes and other vegetables for
the hands. I stayed on de plantation till way after de Civil War was
fought. If de slaves could get as near as East St. Louis and Ohio with
out getting caught, dey would join de Yankees and help fight for
freedom. But the Rebs wouldn't think of giving slaves any guns, as mean
as they had been to us.
"Dey knew too well, we would shoot dem first thing. I remember well I
was in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and dere was a speech made dere by General
Forest on a Sunday. He said, 'Dere ain't a Yankee in 500 miles of
Tuscaloosa, Alabama.' So de Rebs was so happy 'bout dat, dey started
early de very next morning putting de flooring back in de bridge dey
done took out so de Yankees couldn't cross and get to them.
"The following Tuesday night, de very next day I mean, don't you know,
dem Yankees come in our town cross dat very bridge. That same night old
Marse made us hitch up all his horses and git up all de flour, meat and
everything we done raised, and carry it up Tom Bilby River. It was a
swamp, to hide it from de Yankees. But, honey, dat didn't do a bit of
good, dem Yankees got all our stuff and us, too, and destroyed
everything he had. Us slaves was so mad at Old Marse, we helped 'em git
rid of everything, den went on back home, we had no where else to go,
and de war wasn't over and we hadn't nary a penny of money, child. No we
didn't.
"I made my last crop in 1867 on dat very plantation where I lived all my
days. Of course we was free den or supposed to be free. Dey promised to
pay us, but we never got nothin', least not yet, Marse ain't paid me,
and he's dead now. In March 1868 dey sent to de field for all us hands
to come up to de house to sign a contract. We all went. We was so used
to minding old Marse when he sent for us we just mind right on like it
was still slavery. So I had always been mighty handy 'bout most things
so he wanted me 'bove de others, so he took my hand, put it on his pen
and held it right dere and signed my name hisself. I got mad as a wet
hen 'bout dat agreement he read to me. So he tried to make me feel good
saying he was goin' to give me half. I knowed better.
"I felt dere was going to be some trouble up to de house, so I had a
pistol in my pocket, that had been dropped by the Yankees on purpose to
help us slaves shoot our way out. So I just told my old boss I ain't
goin' to do it, and when he raised up at me I just whipped out dat
pistol and everything in sight got out of my way. I was mad a plenty,
and I already always had plenty of temper. So while I had everybody
scared and excited I left and never did go back. I went to Columbus,
Mississippi, and stayed until 1923. All dat time I done share cropping
farming and made good. When I left dere I came to St. Louis and have not
worked since. I was too old for a job, but sister, I worked many a day
for two bits a day and churned all day to get milk to drink 'cause I
couldn't get no other food. I cut grass--mowed after share cropping days
were over.
"I never had any schooling. What learning I got I picked up hearing the
children. I have 22 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren. The first 3
years in St. Louis I lived with my daughter Evergreen Richardson at 3100
Clark Avenue. I am a member of The Church of God in Christ, on
Leffingwell and Bernard Street."