SLAVE NARRATIVES - Library of Congress

30K07
Interviewer Miss Irene Robertson
Person interviewed Sneed Teague
Brinkley, Arkansas
Age 68 Occupation Works on railroad
w My owners was Miss Betsy and Master Teague. Miss
Betsy had a sister lived with them. Her name was Miss Polly,
They was French folks from the old country.
"My ma had belong to the Cox before the Teagues owned
her. The Teagues had three families of servants.
"I remember them - yes mam - they was very saving peo-
ple. They made everything that they used. The shettle, the
carding machine, the spinning wheel and all, they made em.
They had a carding machine different to anybodys in the coun-
try. It worked by a foot treadle. Another thing wasn't like
nobody elses in the whole country was the bed. It had four tall
post. The head board a little higher than the one at the foot '
but instead of using slats across from the railings it was mor-
tised together and hemp ropes wove bout a inch apart. It was
strong and didn't seem to give (stretch) much.
"They raised sheep and they wove and spun wool altogether.
They didn't fool with cotton. Never did, not even down to my
time. That carding machine I'm telling bout turned out rolls of
wool. It was right pretty. They made all kinds of wool things
and sold them. The old man had three or four boys. Mr, Jim
Teague run a wood and blacksmith shop. He sold plows, wagons,
hoes. They made spoons, knives, and forks out of sheets of some
kind of metal. Everything they used they made it and they sold
280