Josie Brown
From:
Texas
JOSIE BROWN was born about 1859, in Victoria, Texas. She belonged
to George Heard. Her mother was born free, a member of the Choctaw
Nation, but she was stolen and sold as a slave. Josie now lives in
Woodville, Texas.
"I's bo'n on Christmas day, in Victoria. Got here jus' in time for de
eggnog! Dat 'bout 1859, 'cause I's six year ole de Christmas 'fore
freedom. My mudder was a free bo'n Injun woman. Jus' like any ole,
demmed Choctaw down in de woods. She was stole and sol' by a
spec'lator's gang. Us move to Tyler when I one mont' ole.
"We lib on a big farm and my mudder suckle her thirteen chillun and ole
mistus seven. Bob, my brudder, he go to Mansfiel' and we never hear of
him no more. He wen' with young marster, Wesley Heard. I 'member de
mornin' dey lef', dey had to wait for him, 'cause he'd been out seein'
his gal.
"De marstar hab a big log house close to de road. De quarters was
'cordin' to de family what live dere. De stage line through Woodville
pass close by. I 'member sittin' on de rail fence to see de stage go by.
Dat was a fine sight! De stage was big, rough carriage and dey was four
or five hosses on de line. De bugle blow when dey go by, with de dus'
behin' dem. Dey was comin' from Jasper, in Louisian', and everywhere.
"When us little dey hab to keep us in de house 'cause de bald eagle pick
up chillen jus' like de hawk pick up chicken. Dey was lots of catamoun'
and bears and deer in de woods. Us never 'llowed play 'lone in de
woods.
"I didn' do nothin' 'cep' eat and sleep and foller ole mistus 'round.
She giv me good clothes 'cause my mudder was de weaver. De clothes jus'
cut out straight down and dyed with all kinds of bark. I hab to keep de
head comb and grease with lard. De lil' white chillun play with me but
not de udder nigger chilluns much. Us pull de long, leaf grass and plait
it and us make rag doll and playhouse and grapevine swing. Dere's plenty
grapes, scudlong, sour blue grape and sweet, white grape. Dey make jelly
and wine outta dem. Dey squeeze de grapes and put de juice in a
jimmijohn(demijohn) to fo'men'.
"My mudder name was Keyia. Dat Injun. Daddy's name was Reuben. I 'member
when I's lil' us goes visit my uncle, Major Scott. He lib in Polk County
and he wore earring in he ears and beads and everyt'ing. He's a Injun.
He dead now, many year.
"My daddy work in de fiel'. He sow de rice and raise t'baccy. Dey have
fiel's of it. Dey put it in de crack of de fence to press, den dey dry
it on de barn roof. Dat was smokin' t'baccy! For de chewin' t'baccy, dey
soak it in sugar and honey. Us never see snuff den.
"On Sunday us didn' work. We has chu'ch meetin'. But dey has to have it
in de ya'd, so de white folks could see de kin' of religion 'spounded.
"I seed some bad sight in slavery, but ain' never been 'bused myself. I
seed chillun too lil' to walk from dey mammies sol' right off de block
in Woodville. Dey was sol' jus' like calfs. I seed niggers in han'
locks.
"After freedom dey wuk a whole year and den Major Sangers, he finally
come and make de white folks tu'n us loose. I stay on for years, 'till
ole mistus die. She larn me to knit and spin and sich like.
"In de early day, us hab to be keerful. Dey say witches ride dey hosses
on de da'k nights. Us allus put hossshoes over de door to keep de witch
out. Iffen us go out at night, us go roun' de house three time so de
witch not come in while us gone.
"I's fifteen year ole when I marry. Giles Paul was from de Wes'. He was
de fus' husban'. Us hab a real weddin' with a bride veil. My weddin'
dress hang 'way back on de flo', and shine like silver. Dey hab big
dance and eat supper.
"My second husban' name' Robert Brown and I's mudder of ten chillun.
'Sides dat, I raises six or seven day I pick up on de street 'cause dey
orfums and hab nobody to care for dem. Some dem chillun drif' 'bout now
and I wouldn' know 'em if I seed 'em!
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Zek Brown
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James Brown
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