"I own no home and have never owned one. Excepting the eight years I spent in New York City my life has been spent in farming. I farm some now and do little jobs for the white folks.
"I don't know much about slavery, as I wus too young to know much about it. There wus other slaves belonging to Marster Williams but I don't remember any of them because when I got so I could know what it wus all about they were free and gone from the plantation.
"I have asked thousands of questions trying to find out who my people are but no one has ever told me who I am or who my people are. If I have any brothers and sisters, I don't know it.
"I have nothing to say about being partly white, I leave that to your imagination. I have thought about it a lot. I don't know.
"I have been blessed with good health, I am breaking now but I am still able to do light jobs.
"I am a good fiddler. The white folks have taught me to do lots of different things. I have had very few advantages and I cannot read and write.
"I have never been in jail in my life. I can give good references from dozens of white folks. I try to live right, be honest and above all give my fellow man a square deal."
LE