near his favorite out-door lounging
place, and invited me to sit down. Then, with a hearty laugh he said,
"now Miss, just what is it you want me to tell you?"

"I want you to tell me all about yourself back in slavery days and
since, Uncle Dave."

"Miss, if I tell you all I know, then you will know as much about me as
I know." Again he burst into laughter, and constrained by a high sense
of propriety, but with perfect ease, he began to relate to me in a
manner and style all his own, some of the facts connected with his
life.

"Miss, my name is David Goodman Gullins. I was born in 1854 on the 27th
day of December, in Putnam County, about 3-1/2 miles from Eatonton, on
the Greensboro Road. I was born in slavery, my father and mother being
owned by Mr. J. W. Mappin. Marse Mappin was not a large slave holder,
since he only had about thirty-five slaves, but he was what we call a
'coming man'. I do not remember how much land he owned, but nothing like
some of the very wealthy land and slave owners. My owner was a
comparatively young man, say middle aged, weighing about 190 pounds,
with a fairly good education and withall a first rate man. My earliest
recollection of him was his perfectly bald head. It looked like a peeled
onion. He married a widow, Mrs. Elizabeth Lawson, who had two sons; one
who was Judge Thomas G. Lawson of the Ocmulgee Circuit, and Zurst
Lawson, who was killed in the war. My owners were very good to their
slaves.

"My father's name was John Mappin. He of course went by the name of the
owner. My mother's name was Catharine. She was bought from an owner by
the name of Milline by my master, and she became Catharine Mappin. I
know nothing of their lives, their childhood, their struggles,
hardships, etc., and where they came from. There were eleven boys and
one girl in our family, I being the third oldest boy born. Three
brothers born after me died in infancy. My mother raised only five of
her sons to manhood, and my sister is still living in Eatonton, Ga. She
is Gracie Roby. I have one brother still living, W. R. Gullins, a
minister. He is somewhere in North Carolina. When this brother was born,
Mistress had a lot of company, and all the ladies wanted to name the
new baby for their best friends. So the baby was named Willie Richard
Edgar Mappin for the best friends of the young ladies. He later dropped
the name Edgar and goes by the name of Willie Richard Gullins.

"Uncle David you say your owners name wa