lize it. We was afraid to leave the place at first for fear
old Mistress would bring us back or the pateroller would git us. Old
Mistress died soon after the War and we didn't care either. She didn't
never do nothing to make us love her. We was jest as glad as when old
Master died. I don't know what become of the three gals. They was
about grown.

We moved away jest as far away as we could and I married soon after.
My husband died and I married again. I been married four times and all
my husbands died. The last time I married it was to a man that
belonged to a Indian man, Sam Love. He was a good owner and was one of
the best men that ever lived. My husband never did move far away from
him and he loved him like a father. He always looked after him till he
died. My husband has been dead five years.

I have had fifteen children. Four pairs of twins, and only four of
them are living. The good Lawd wouldn't let me keep them. I'se lived
through three wars so you see I'se no baby.

Oklahoma Writers' Project
Ex-Slaves
[Date stamp: NOV 5 1937]

IDA HENRY
Age 83
Oklahoma City, Okla.

I was born in Marshall, Texas, in 1854. Me mother was named Millie
Henderson and me father Silas Hall. Me mother was sold in South
Carolina to Mister Hall, who brought her to Texas. Me father was born
and raised by Master John Hall. Me mother's and father's family
consisted of five girls and one boy. My sisters' names were:
Margrette, Chalette, Lottie, Gracy and Loyo, and me brother's name was
Dock Howard. I lived with me mother and father in a log house on
Master Hall's plantation. We would be sorry when dark, as de
patrollers would walk through de quarters and homes of de slaves all
times of night wid pine torch lights to whip de niggers found away
from deir home.

At nights when me mother would slip away for a visit to some of de
neighbors homes, she would raise up the old plank floor to de log
cabin and make pallets on de ground and put us to bed and put the
floor back down so dat we couldn't be seen or found by the patrollers
on their stroll around at nights.

My grandmother Lottie would always tell us to not let Master catch you
in a lie, and to always tell him de truth.

I was a house girl to me Mistress and nursed, cooked, and carried de
children to and from school. In summer we girls wore cotton slips and
yarn dresses for winter. When I got married I was dress in blue serge
and was de third person to marry in it. Weddin