Battle's uncle. They went 'round to big towns and had a good time.
Miss Polly Henry married Mars Brutten. He moved back (from
Mississippi) to North Carolina. They had a big orchard. They give it
all away soon as it ripen. He had a barrel of apple and peach brandy.
He give some of it out in cups. They said there was some double
rectifying in that barrel of brandy. He died.

"Master Tom was killed in war. When he had a ferlough he give all the
men on his place five dollars and every woman a sow pig to raise from.
Tole us all good-bye, said he'd never get back alive. He give me one
and my mother one too. We prized them hogs 'bove everything we ever
had. He got killed. Master Tom was so good to his niggers. He never
whooped them. His wife ruled him, made him do like she wanted
everything but mean to his niggers. Her folks slashed their niggers
and she tried to make him do that too. He wouldn't. They said she wore
the breeches 'cause she ruled him.

"She was Mistress Helland Harris Williams. She took our big hogs away
from every one of us. We raised 'em up fine big hogs. She took them
away from us. Took all the hogs Master Tom give us back. She had
plenty land he left her and cows, some hogs. She married Allen
Hopkins. They had a boy. He sent him to Texas, then he left her. She
was so mean. Followed the boy to Texas. They all said she couldn't
rule Allen Hopkins like she did Tom Williams. She didn't.

"When freedom come on, mother and me both left her 'cause I seen she
wouldn't do. My papa left too and he had raised a little half white
boy. 'Cause he was same age of Brutten Williams, Tom took Brutten's
little nigger child and give him to papa to raise. His name Wilks. His
own black mama beat him. When freedom come on, we went to Cal Pierce's
place. They kept Wilks. He used to run off and come to us. They give
him to somebody else 'way off. Tom had a brother in Georgia. It was
Tom's wife wouldn't let Wilks go on living with us.

"Old mistress just did rave about her boys mixing up with them niggers
but she was better than any other white women to Wilks and Fenna and
George.

"'Big Will' could do much as any two other niggers. When they bought
him a axe, it was a great big axe. They bought him a great big hoe.
They got a new overseer. Overseer said he use a hoe and axe like
everybody else. 'Big Will' killed the overseer with his big axe. Jim
Battle was gone off. His son Marmaduke Battle put him in jail. When
Jim Battle c