Gus Bradshaw
From:
Texas
GUS BRADSHAW was born about 1845, at Keecheye, Alabama, a slave of
David Cavin. He recalls being brought to Texas in the 1850's, when
the Cavin family settled near old Port Caddo. Gus remained with his
master for ten years after emancipation. He now lives alone on a
fifty acre farm seven miles northeast of Marshall, which he bought
in 1877. Gus receives an $11.00 per month pension.
"I was born at Keecheye, Alabama, and belonged to old man David Cavin.
The only statement I can make 'bout my age is I knows I was 'bout twenty
years old when us slaves was freed. I never knowed my daddy, but my
mammy was Amelia Cavin. I's heard her say she's born in Alabama more
times than I got fingers and toes. Our old master brung us to Texas when
I's a good sized kid. I 'members like it am yesterday, how we camped
more'n a week in New Orleans. I seed 'em sell niggers off the block
there jus' like they was cattle. Then we came to old Port Caddo on Caddo
Lake and master settles a big farm close to where the boats run. Port
Caddo was a big shipping place then, and Dud and John Perry run the
first store there. The folks hauled cotton there from miles away.
"Mammy's folks was named Maria and Joe Gloster and they come to Texas
with the Cavins. My grandma say to me, 'Gus, don't run you mouth too
much and allus have manners to whites and blacks.' Chillen was raise
right then, but now they come up any way. I seed young niggers turn the
dipper up and drink 'fore old folks. I wouldn't dare do that when I's
comin' up.
"Maria say to me one day, 'Son, I's here when the stars fell.' She tell
me they fell like a sheet and spread over the ground. Ike Hood, the old
blacksmith on our place, he told me, too. I says, 'Ike, how old was you
when the stars fell?' He say, 'I's thirty-two.'
"Massa David had big quarters for us niggers, with chimneys and
fireplaces. They use to go round and pick up old hawg or cow bones to
bile with greens and cabbage. They was plenty of wild game, and deer and
wolves howlin' right through this country, but you can't even find the
track of one now.
"The first work I done was pickin' cotton. Every fellow was out at
daylight pickin' cotton or hoein' or plowin'. They was one overseer and
two nigger drivers. But at night you could hear us laughin' and talkin'
and singin' and prayin', and hear them fiddles and things playin'. It
look like darkies git 'long more better then than now. Some folks says
niggers oughtn't to be slaves, but I says they ought, 'cause they jus'
won't do right onless they is made to do it.
"Massa David allus give us eggnog and plenty good whiskey at Christmas.
We had all day to eat and drink and sing and dance. We didn't git no
presents, but we had a good time.
"I don't know much 'bout the war, only Massa Bob Perry come over one day
and say to Grandma Maria, 'They is surrender, Maria, you is free.' She
say to him, 'I don't care, I gwine stay with my white folks.'
"The Klu Klux done lots of cuttin' up round there. Two of 'em come to
Dr. Taylor's house. He had two niggers what run off from the Klux and
they want to whip 'em, but Dr. Taylor wouldn't 'low 'em. I knowed old
Col. Alford, one of the Klux leaders, and he was a sight. He told me
once, 'Gus, they done send me to the pen for Kluxing.' I say, 'Massa
Alford, didn't they make a gentleman of you?' He say, 'Hell, no!'
"I knowed old Col. Haggerdy, too. He marries a widow of a rich old
Indian chief, name McIntosh. He broke a treaty with his people and had
to hide out in a cave a long time, and his wife brung food to him. One
time when she went to the cave he was gone. She knowed then the Indians
done git him and kilt him for vi'latin' the treaty. So she marries old
Col. Haggerdy.
"The only time I votes was against whiskey. I voted for it. Some white
folks done say they'd whip me if I voted for it, but Mr. Joe Strickland
done told me they jus' tryin' scare me, so I voted for it. I don't think
niggers ought to vote. If some niggers had things in hand 'stead of
white folks, I couldn't stay here. These eddicated niggers am causin'
the devilment. The young niggers ain't got no 'spect for old age.
"I bought and paid for fifty acres land here in Harrison County and I
has lived on it sixty years. I lived with my wife fifty years 'fore she
died and done raise two chillen. These young niggers don't stay married
fifty days, sometimes. I don't mess with 'em, but if I needs help I goes
to the white folks. If you 'have youself, they allus help you if you
needs it.
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Wes Brady
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Monroe Brackins
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