SLAVE NARRATIVES - Library of Congress

Interviewer Mrs* Bernice Bowden
Person interviewed Jane Reece
819 W. Ninth Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age 85
"I know this—I f m 85* I was born in North Carolina*
"Oh, yes'm, I f member the War*
"I'm three thousand miles from my home*
"Old John Blue (Belew?) was my white folks*
"I did have good white folks* Yes ma , am, I f ll say that* Stayed there
a long time after we was sot free* They was good to us*
"My mother was the mother of twelve chillun—she was a fast breeder*
"I was the onliest girl and old missis was just wild about me* I had
good owners* I don f t remember no hard treatment among 'em*
"I f member she used to have me runnin f from house to house tot in 1 a
little note,* That's the reason I had such a good time* Heap of times I
slept up at the big house with old missis*
"I got a good memory* We was allowed to sing and pray* I know our
white folks was good that way. I f ll say that for 'em* I won't go back on f em*
peaceful*
"Our folks stayed right on there a long time*
"My father died three years after ever'thing had done got quiet and
"I left my husband back there and come here to Arkansas with my mother*
"The bigges' work I done—I used to be terrible 'bout cookin', washin 1
and ironin', and field work* Ever'thing a man ever done I f ve done—cut
wood, cut down sprouts, burn brush—I've done ever'thing*
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