John W Fields
From:
Indiana
Cecil C. Miller
Dist. #3
Tippecanoe Co.
INTERVIEW WITH MR. JOHN W. FIELDS, EX-SLAVE OF CIVIL WAR PERIOD
September 17, 1937
John W. Fields, 2120 North Twentieth Street, Lafayette, Indiana, now
employed as a domestic by Judge Burnett is a typical example of a fine
colored gentleman, who, despite his lowly birth and adverse
circumstances, has labored and economized until he has acquired a
respected place in his home community. He is the owner of three
properties; un-mortgaged, and is a member of the colored Baptist Church
of Lafayette. As will later be seen his life has been one of constant
effort to better himself spiritually and physically. He is a fine
example of a man who has lived a morally and physically clean life. But,
as for his life, I will let Mr. Fields speak for himself:
"My name is John W. Fields and I'm eighty-nine (89) years old. I was
born March 27, 1848 in Owensburg, Ky. That's 115 miles below Louisville,
Ky. There was 11 other children besides myself in my family. When I was
six years old, all of us children were taken from my parents, because my
master died and his estate had to be settled. We slaves were divided by
this method. Three disinterested persons were chosen to come to the
plantation and together they wrote the names of the different heirs on a
few slips of paper. These slips were put in a hat and passed among us
slaves. Each one took a slip and the name on the slip was the new owner.
I happened to draw the name of a relative of my master who was a widow.
I can't describe the heartbreak and horror of that separation. I was
only six years old and it was the last time I ever saw my mother for
longer than one night. Twelve children taken from my mother in one day.
Five sisters and two brothers went to Charleston, Virginia, one brother
and one sister went to Lexington Ky., one sister went to Hartford, Ky.,
and one brother and myself stayed in Owensburg, Ky. My mother was later
allowed to visit among us children for one week of each year, so she
could only remain a short time at each place.
"My life prior to that time was filled with heart-aches and despair. We
arose from four to five O'clock in the morning and parents and children
were given hard work, lasting until nightfall gaves us our respite.
After a meager supper, we generally talked until we grew sleepy, we had
to go to bed. Some of us would read, if we were lucky enough to know
how.
"In most of us colored folks was the great desire to able to read and
write. We took advantage of every opportunity to educate ourselves. The
greater part of the plantation owners were very harsh if we were caught
trying to learn or write. It was the law that if a white man was caught
trying to educate a negro slave, he was liable to prosecution entailing
a fine of fifty dollars and a jail sentence. We were never allowed to go
to town and it was not until after I ran away that I knew that they sold
anything but slaves, tobacco and wiskey. Our ignorance was the greatest
hold the South had on us. We knew we could run away, but what then? An
offender guilty of this crime was subjected to very harsh punishment.
"When my masters estate had been settled, I was to go with the widowed
relative to her place, she swung me up on her horse behind her and
promised me all manner of sweet things if I would come peacefully. I
didn't fully realise what was happening, and before I knew it, I was on
my way to my new home. Upon arrival her manner changed very much, and
she took me down to where there was a bunch of men burning brush. She
said, "see those men" I said: yes. Well, go help them, she replied. So
at the age of six I started my life as an independent slave. From then
on my life as a slave was a repetition of hard work, poor quarters and
board. We had no beds at that time, we just "bunked" on the floor. I had
one blanket and manys the night I sat by the fireplace during the long
cold nights in the winter.
"My Mistress had separated me from all my family but one brother with
sweet words, but that pose was dropped after she reached her place.
Shortly after I had been there, she married a northern man by the name
of David Hill. At first he was very nice to us, but he gradually
acquired a mean and overbearing manner toward us, I remember one
incident that I don't like to remember. One of the women slaves had been
very sick and she was unable to work just as fast as he thought she
ought to. He had driven her all day with no results. That night after
completeing our work he called us all together. He made me hold a light,
while he whipped her and then made one of the slaves pour salt water on
her bleeding back. My innerds turn yet at that sight.
"At the beginning of the Civil War I was still at this place as a slave.
It looked at the first of the war as if the south would win, as most of
the big battles were won by the South. This was because we slaves stayed
at home and tended the farms and kept their families.
"To eliminate this solid support of the South, the Emancipation Act was
passed, freeing all slaves. Most of the slaves were so ignorant they did
not realize they were free. The planters knew this and as Kentucky never
seceeded from the Union, they would send slaves into Kentucky from other
states in the south and hire them out to plantations. For these reasons
I did not realize that I was free untill 1864. I immediately resolved to
run away and join the Union Army and so my brother and I went to
Owensburg, Ky. and tried to join. My brother was taken, but I was
refused as being too young. I [HW: tried] at Evansville, Terre Haute and
Indianapolis but was unable to get in. I then tried to find work and was
finally hired by a man at $7.00 a month. That was my first independent
job. From then on I went from one job to another working as general
laborer.
"I married at 24 years of age and had four children. My wife has been
dead for 12 years and 8 months. Mr. Miller, always remember that:
"The brightest man, the prettiest flower
May be cut down, and withered in an hour."
"Today, I am the only surviving member who helped organize the second
Baptist Church here in Lafayette, 64 years ago. I've tried to live
according to the way the Lord would wish, God Bless you."
"The clock of Life is wound but once.
Today is yours, tomorrow is not.
No one knows when the hands will stop."
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