SLAVE NARRATIVES - Library of Congress

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Interviewer Mrs* Bernice Bowden
Person interviewed Senia Basaberry
810 Oatalpa Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age 84
n Yes f m, I know what I hear em say* Well, in slavery times I helped
make the soldiers* clothes*
"I was born on the old Jack Hall place on the ixkansas River in
Jefferson County*
n I know I was 'leven years old riien peace declared* I reckon I can
member fore the War started* I know I was bastin 1 them coats and pants*
"My old master 1 s name was Jack Hall and old mistress 1 name was
Priscilla* Oh, yes f m, they was good to me—just as good to me as they
could be* But ever f once in awhile they f d call me and say, f Senia* f I f d
say, 'What you want? 1 They say, f Wasn*t you out there doin* so and so? f
I f d say, f No. f They say, 'Now, you're tellin 1 a lie f and they'd whip me*
"I was the house girl, me and my sister* My mammy was the cook*
*01d master had two plantations* Sometimes he had a overseer and
sometimes he didn't*
n 0h, they had plenty to eat, hog meat and cracklin 1 bread* Yes ma f am,
I loved that, I reckon* I et so much of it then I don f t hardly ever want
it now* They had so much to eat* Blackberry cobbler? Oh Lawd*
"How many brothers and sisters? Me? My dear, I don f t know how many I
had but I heard my mother say that all the chillun she did have, that she
had f leven chillun*
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