SLAVE NARRATIVES - Library of Congress

30761
Interviewer Miss Irene Robertson
Person interviewed William J» Stevens» Brinkley, Arkansas
Age Up in 70*8
11 1 was born in Pleasant Hill, Alabama* My owners were Haley and
Missouri Stevens* They owned Grandma Mary* Pa was born on the place#
Llother was sold from the Combesses to Stevens. Mother 1 s mother was a Turk
Dark Greek Indian* She was a free woman* Her name was Judy* I called her
Grandma Judy. She was old but not gray* She had long black hair as I
remember her# Mother was named Millie. Haley bought her for my pa* My
pa f s father was Haley Stevens 1 own son* He was his cpachman. Pa never
worked a great deal. Mother never cooked till after emancipation* She was
the house girl and nurse* Life moved along smoothly as much as I ever
heard till freedom come on. The Indians was independent folks. My mother
was like that. Haley Stevens took his family to Texas soon as freedom come
on. Mother went with them. They treated her so nicely. Pk wouldn't follow*
He said she thought more of them than she did him. He kept me with him* N •
Ke narried ag'in. He was a barber at Selma, Alabama. He died a barber at
^niiiston, Alabama. While my mother was in Texas she went to see her mother
in Hickory, Alabama. She was talking with a tramp. He had helped my pa in
the shop at Selma* Mother took the train and come to pa f s and my step-
mother's house. I was fourteen years old then and still wore a long shirt-
Uke dress. They treated her the nicest kind. She told them she was
married to a man named Sims down in Mississippi. She went back. I don't
toov/ where* The barber business was a colored man's trade in the early days*
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