"My mother's first child was her master's child. I was the second
child but my father was Reuben Dortch. He belonged to Colonel Dortch.
Colonel Dortch died in Princeton, Arkansas, Dallas County, about
eighty-six miles from here. He died before the War. I never saw him.
But he was my father's first master. He used to go and get goods, and
he caught this fever they had then--I think it was cholera--and died.
After Colonel Dortch died, his son-in-law, Archie Hays, became my
father's second master. Were all with Hays when we were freed.
"My father's father was a white man. He was named Wilson Rainey. I
never did see him. My mother has said to me many a time that he was
the meanest man in Dallas County. My father's mother was named Viney.
That was her first name. I forget the last name. My mother's name was
Martha Hays, and my grandmother's name on my mother's side was Sallie
Hays. My maiden name was Adrianna Dortch.