Religious Service for Slaves

Pa often provided religious service for the Negroes. All preachers were then white men. The Negroes would assemble at some convenient place on the plantation. Pa would never separate a Negro family by selling either man or wife or the children.

In Missouri Eliza was the gardener and we desired very much to bring her to Texas, but her husband belonged to our neighbor. We tried to bring the man and Eliza both to Texas, but when the owner refused to sell, Pa sold Eliza to him rather than separate man and wife.

Negroes

Another one of our Negroes who claimed to be the son of a chief was "Old Dick", who was the opposite of Pompey. Dick was coal black, had a flat nose, thick lips, had a lot of "conjure" tricks. He was not reliable. He was allowed to occupy a cabin all to himself. He was unmarried and had nothing to do with either white or black. Dick was never made to work in the field. His duty was to make collars, brooms, etc., for the plantation. After making all of these the plantation needed, Dick was allowed to make some for himself and take them on Saturday night to the port of Old Roland [photo], ten miles distant, and sell them to the merchant, Roland Bryarly. In this way "Old Dick" always kept money.