n de ground. Atter de war was over Niggers got so rowdy dem Ku
Kluxers come 'long to make 'em be-have deirselfs.' Dem Niggers and
Kluxers too jus' went hog wild.

"What did Niggers have to buy no land wid, when dey never had no money
paid 'em for nothin' 'til atter dey was free? Us jus' stayed on and
wukked for Old Marster, 'cause dere warn't no need to leave and go to no
other place. I was raised up for a field hand, and I ain't never wukked
in no white folks house.

"Me I'se sho' glad Mr. Lincoln sot us free. Iffen it was still slav'ry
time now old as I is, I would have to wuk jus' de same, sick or no. Now
I don't have to ax nobody what I kin do. Dat's why I'se glad I'se free.

"Now, 'bout my marriage; I was a-living in Putnam County at dat time,
and I got married up wid Green Willingham. He had come dar from Jasper
County. I didn't have no weddin'. Ma jus' cooked a chicken for us, and I
was married in a white dress. De waist had ruffles 'round de neck and
sleeves. Us had 17 chilluns in all, seven boys and 10 gals, dere was 19
grandchillun and 21 great grandchillun. Dey ain't all of 'em livin', and
my old man, he's done been daid a long time ago."

Henrietta again made her appearance and addressed her mother: "Hush your
mouth Ma, for you knows you ain't got all dem chillun. I done told de
lady you ain't got your right mind." Frances retorted: "You shut up your
mouth, Henrietta. I is so got my right mind, and I knows how many
chillun of mine dere was. One thing sho' you is got more mouth dan all
de rest of my chillun put together."

The interviewer closed her notebook and took her departure, leaving
Frances dozing in her chair.

[HW: Dist-1-2
Ex-slave #114
(Mrs. Stonestreet)]

ADELINE WILLIS--EX-SLAVE
[Date Stamp: MAY 8 1937]

Who is the oldest ex-slave in Wilkes County? This question was answered
the other day when the quest ended on the sunny porch of a little
cottage on Lexington Road in Washington-Wilkes, for there in a straight
old-fashioned split-bottom chair sat "Aunt" Adeline Willis basking in
the warm October sunshine. She is remarkable for her age--she doesn't
know just exactly how old she is, from all she tells and what her "white
folks" say she is around a hundred. Her general health is good, she
spends her days in the open and tires only on the days she cannot be out
in her place in the sun. She has the brightest eyes, her sight is so
good she has never had to wear glasses; she gets arou