master's consent was his desire to rear negroes with perfect physiques.
On neither plantation was there any thought or compassion when a sale or
trade was in question. I have seen the separation of husband and wife,
child and mother, and the extreme grief of those involved, and the lash
administered to a grieving slave for neglecting their work. All this
made the marriages a farce.

"In 1863 Mr. Sullivan transported about 40 of us slaves to Arkansas,
locating us on a farm near Pine Bluff, so we would not be taken by the
Federal soldiers. The general faithfulness of the slave was noticeable
then, as they had a chance to desert and go to free states. But I think
I was the only one who deserted Mr. Sullivan. I went to Federal
Headquarters at Fort Smith, Arkansas, and was received into the army. We
campaigned in Arkansas and nearby territory. The major battle I fought
in was that of Pine Bluff, which lasted one day and part of one night.

"After I was mustered out of the army, I set out to get an education and
entered a grade school at Pine Bluff. I worked after school at any job I
could secure and managed to enter Washburn College, in Topeka, Kansas.
After I graduated I followed steam engineering for four years, but later
I went to Fort Worth and spent 22 years in educational work among my
people. I exerted my best efforts to advance my race.

"I married Lucia Brown in 1880 and we had three children, all of whom
are dead. There is just my wife and me left of the family, and we have a
$75.00 per month Union soldier's pension.

420283

WILLIAM BYRD, 97, was born a slave of Sam Byrd, near Madisonville,
Texas. William was with his master during the Civil War. The old
Negro is very feeble, but enjoyed talking about old times. He lives
in Madisonville.

"I has a bill of sale what say I's born in 1840, so I knows I's
ninety-seven years old, and I's owned by Marse Sam Byrd. My mother's
name was Fannie and I dunno pappy's name, 'cause my mother allus say she
found me a stray in the woods. I allus 'lieves my master was my pappy,
but I never did know for sho'.

"Our quarters was log and the bed built with poles stuck in the cracks
and cowhide stretched over, and we'd gather moss 'bout once a month and
make it soft. When it was real cold we'd git close together and I don't
care how cold it got, we'd sleep jes' as warm as these here feather
beds.

"I split rails and chopped cotton and plowed wit