ust how old I
was----good sized boy, though. Guess I was five--maybe six years old.
He was a fine man, Governor Roane was--a mighty fine man. He always
treated me good. Raised me up to be a good man.

I remember when he gives us a free-pass. That was during the war. He
said, 'Now boys, you be good. You stand for what is right, and don't
you tell any stories. I've raised you up to do right.'

When he wasn't governor any more he went back to Pine Bluff. We lived
there a long time. I was with Governor Roane right up until I was
grown. I can't right correct things in my mind altogether, but I think
I was with him until I was about 20.

When the war come on, Governor Roane helped to gather up troops. He
called us in out of the fields and asked us if we wanted to go. I did.
Right today I should be getting a pension. I was truly in the army.
Ought to be getting a pension. Once a white man, Mr. Williams, I
believe his name was, tried to get me to go with him to Little Rock.
Getting me a pension would be easy he said. But somehow we never did
go.

I worked in the powder factory for a while. Then they set me to
hauling things----mostly food from the Brazos river to Tyler, Texas.
We had hard times then----we had a time----and don't you let anybody
tell you we didn't. Sometimes we didn't have any bread. And even
sometimes we didn't have any water. I wasn't so old, but I was a
pretty good man----pretty well grown up.

After the war I went back with my pappy. While I'd belonged to
Governor Roane, Roane was my name. But when I went back with father, I
took his name. We farmed for a while and later I went to Little Rock.

I did lots of things there. Worked in a cabinet maker's shop for one
thing. Was classed as a good workman, too. I worked the lathes. Did a
good job of it. I never was the sort that had to walk around looking
for work. Folks used to come and get me and ask me to work for them.

How'd I happen to come to Hot Springs? They got me to come to work on
the water mains. Worked for the water works a long time. Then I worked
for a Mr. Smith in the bath house. I fired the furnace for him. Then
for about 15 years I kept the yard at the Kingsway----the Eastman it
was then. I kept the lawn clean at the Eastman Hotel. That was about
the last steady work I did.

Yes and in between I used to haul things. Had me an express wagon.
Used to build rock walls too. Built good walls.

Who did you say you was, Miss? Your father was