Charlotte Guess
“Mother was born in Dallas, Texas. She was born into slavery. She was a field woman. She was sold there and brought to Mississippi at about the close of the Civil War. She was sold from her husband and two children. She never seen them. She farmed cotton and corn in Texas. Her husband whooped her, so she was glad to be sold. She married after the surrender to another man in Mississippi. No, he didn’t beat her. They had disputes. She was the mother of ten children. She lived to be 82 years old. She went from Arkansas back to Mississippi to die.”
INTERVIEWER’S NOTE
It would be interesting if I could find out more about why the Negroes were sent in the box. He seemed not to know all about it. This Negro man when young was a light mulatto. He is light for his age. He looks and acts white. Has a spot on one eye.
Interviewer: Miss Irene Robertson
Person interviewed: Lee Guidon
Clarendon, Arkansas
Age: 89
“Yes maam I sho was in the Cibil War. I plowed all day and me and my sister helped take care of the baby at night. It would cry and me bumpin’ it. [In a straight chair, rocking.] Time I git it to the bed where its mama was it wake up and start cryin’ all over again. I be so sleepy. It was a puny sort o’ baby. Its papa was off at war. His name was Jim Cowan an’ his wife Miss Margaret Brown ’fore she married him. Miss Lucy Smith give me and my sister to them. Then she married Mr. Abe Moore. Jim Smith was Miss Lucy’s boy. He lay outen the woods all time. He say no needen him gittin’ shot up and killed. He say let the slaves be free. We lived, seemed lack, on ’bout the line of York an’ Union Counties. He lay out in the woods over in York County. Mr. Jim say all they fightin’ ’bout was jealousy. They caught him several times but ebry time he got away frum ’em. After they come home Mr. Jim say they never win no war. They stole and starved out the South.
“They didn’t want the slaves talkin’ ’bout things. One time I got ruffed up and I say I was goin’ to freedom—the wood whar Mr. Jim be—and I recollect we was crossin’ over a railin’ fence. My ma put her hand over my mouth like dis, and say you don’t know anything ’bout what you sain’ boy.
“I neber will forgit Mr. Neel. He was all our overseer. He say ‘Lee Good Boy’ plows so good. He never spoke an unkind word in his life to me. When I haf to go to his house he call me in an’ give me hot biscuits or maybe a potato. I sure love potato [sweet potatoes]. He was a good old Christian man. The church we all went to was made outer hand hewd logs—great big things. My pa lived in Union County on the other side the church.
“He lived to be 103 years old. Ma lost her mind. They both died right here with me—a piece outer town. He was named Pompey and ma Fannie. Her name ’foe freedom was Fannie Smith, then she took the name Guidon.