Jeff Davis
From:
More Arkansas
Interviewer: Mrs. Bernice Bowden
Person interviewed: Jeff Davis
1100 Texas Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age: 85
[May 31 1938]
"What's my name? I got a good name. Name's Jeff Davis. Miss Mary Vinson
was some of my white folks.
"Oh Lord yes, I was here in slavery times--runnin' around like you
are--ten years old. I'm eighty-five even.
"Soldiers used to give me dimes and quarters. Blue coats was what they
called 'em. And the Rebs was Gray.
"Yankees had a gun as long as from here to there. Had cannon-balls
weighed a hundred and forty-four pounds.
"I'm a musician--played the fife. Played it to a T. Had two kinds of
drums. Had different kinds of brass horns too. I 'member one time they
was a fellow thought he could beat the drum till I took it.
"Had plenty to eat. Old master fed us plenty.
"Oh, I used to do a heap of work in a day.
"I was 'bout ten when freedom come. Yes ma'am."
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