Barney A Laird
From:
Arkansas
Interviewer: Miss Irene Robertson
Person interviewed: Barney A. Laird
Brinkley, (near Moroe) Arkansas
Age: 79
"I was born in Pinola County, Mississippi. I remembers one time
soldiers come by on all black horses and had a bundle on one shoulder
strapped around under the other arm. They wore blue jackets. Their
horses was trained so they marched good as soldiers. They camped not
far from our house. There was a long string of soldiers. It took them
a long time to go by.
"One time they had a dinner in a sorter grove on a neighbor's farm.
All us children went up there to see if they left anything. We et up
the scraps. I say it was good eating. The fust Yankee crackers I ever
et was there that day. They was fine for a fact.
"Our owner was Dr. Laird. When I come to know anything his wife was
dead but his married daughter lived with him. Her husband's name was
John Balentine. My parents worked in the field and I stayed up at the
house with my old grandpa and grandma. Their house was close to the
white folks. Our houses was about on the farm. Some of the houses was
pole houses, some hewed out. The fireplace in our house burned long
wood and the room what had the fireplace was a great big room. We had
shutters at the windows. The houses was open but pretty stout and
good. We had plenty wood.
"My parents both lived on the same farm. They had seven children. My
mother's name was Caroline and my father's name was Ware A. Laird.
Mother never told us if she was ever sold. Father never was sold. He
never talked much.
"One thing I know is: My wife's pa was sold, Squire Lester, so him and
Adeline could be on the same farm. Them my wife's parents. They never
put him on no block, jes' told him to get his belongings and where to
go. I never seen nobody sold.
"Dr. Laird was good to his darkies. My whole family stayed on his
place till he died. I don't know how long. I don't know if I ever
knowed when freedom come on. We had a hard time durin' the Civil War.
That why I hate to hear about war. The soldiers tore down houses,
burnt houses. They burnt up Dr. Laird's gin. I think it burned some
cotton. They tore down fences and hauled em off to make fires at their
camps. That let the stock out what they maybe did leave an old snag.
Fust cussin' I ever heard done was one of them soldiers. I don't know
what about but he was going at it. I stopped to hear what he saying. I
never heard nobody cuss so much over nothing as ever I found out. They
had cleaned us out. We didn't have much to eat nor wear then. We did
have foe then from what they told us. The old folks got took care of.
That don't happen no more.
"I never seen a Ku Klux. I heard tell of them all my life.
"Dr. Laird was old man and John Balentine was a peaceable man. He
wanted his farm run peaceable. He was kind as could be.
"I been farming all my life. I still be doing it. I do all I can. It
is the young boys' place to take the plough handle--the making a man
out of their young strength. They don't want to do it. Some do and
some won't stay on the farm. Go to town is the cry. I got a wife and
two boys. They got families. They are on the farm. I tell them to
stay.
"I get help from the Welfare if I'm able to come get what they give
me.
"I used to pay my taxes and vote. Now if I have a dollar I have to buy
something to eat. Us darkies satisfied with the best the white folks
can do. Darkies good workers but poor managers is been the way I seen
it all my life. One thing we don't want no wars."
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Arey Lamar
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Susa Lagrone
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