From the WPA Slave
Narratives:
Jack Aldredge age
about 80
"I was born in de panhandle of Choctaw county, down on Turn Creek Ridge
somewhere about 1857. Some of de white folks tells me I's over a hundred years
old now but I don't think so 'cause I wuzn't big 'nuf to work in de field
before de war was over."
"My pappy was Bob Ashford and he cum frum Alabama and my Mammy's name was
Violet. She was born in a speculator drove."
"Before de war was over my job was to toat water."
"I sho does member us niggers eatin rabbits and possum back in dem days. Marsa
didn't let us have no garden or hunt and fish much but possum and rabbits was
our Sunday dish!"
"Marsa Mike Turnipseed, missus and their two sisters lived in a big frame
house all fixed up and ever thing but us niggers, we lived in little log
cabins nearby. Marsa, he sho' wuzn't good to my mammy and pappy and when de
war was over we never took his name. No sir, us took my pappy's old name.
Missus she was purty good to my mammy. She let her help spin when she didn't
have to work in de field.
The overseer was some kin of Marsa Turnipseed but he was a good man and
treated my ma and pa right."
"Marsa had a great big farm. I could go right to de very spot today. There was
five or six families on de place. I can't member much about how Marsa treated
my ma and pa but dey said he sho wuzn't good to um."
"No sir, no white folks didn't learn me to read and 'rite. Nobody didn't read
the Bible to me. Us niggers didn't go to school or hear no preachin down on
Marsa Turnipseed's farm. Slaves worked Saturday afternoons same as other days.
On Sundays we just set round de house. Marsa didn't low us to have no parties
and picnics."
"When word cum dat de Yankee sojers was on de way we hid all de hogs down in
de hollow behind de house to keep dem Yankees from stealin um. I member Missus
sho did cry when de war was over but us niggers sho was glad when we was
free."
"I's been married five times: My fust wife was Hanner Miller and we had seven
chillun; my next wife was Cherry Ann Austridge and we had two chillun' my next
wife wus Mary Coleman; and I sho' don't member my next wife's name. Pshaw! I
can't think of that woman's name; but my woman I'm livin with now was named
Austin. I's got so many grandchillun I can't count em. Dey's scattered all
round, most of em farms."
"No sir, young people dis day and time sho has a heep better time than we did
back in dem slavery times."
Supplement to Autobiography of Jack Aldredge as per request of July 1, 1937
just received.
Jack Aldredge, age about 80 years, height five feet and six inches, weight 140
lbs, and his general coloring is black. Despite his advanced years he is still
active.
Interviewer: Unknown
Transcribed by: Ann Allen Geoghegan
Mississippi Narratives
Prepared by
The Federal Writer’s Project of
The Works Progress Administration
For the State of Mississippi
