[HW: Helps Build Railroad]

"I was born in the country several miles from Charlotte in Macklenberg,
County, North Carolina in 1864.

"My father's name was John Alexander and my mother was Esther McColley.
That was her maiden name of course.

"My father's master was named Silas Alexander and my mother belonged to
Hugh Reed. I don't know just how she and my father happened to meet.
These two slaveholders were adjoining neighbors, you might say.

"My father and my mother married during the war. I was the first child.
I had three half brothers and three half sisters from the father's side.
I didn't have no whole brothers and sisters. I am the only one on my
mother's side. My father was not in the war.

"I don't know that the pateroles bothered him very much. My father and
mother were well treated by our master and then both she and my father
were quiet and their masters were good to them naturally.

"During slavery times, my father was a farmer. My mother farmed too. She
was a hand in the field. They lived in a little log cabin, one room.
They had a bed in there, a few chairs and a homemade table. They had a
plank floor. I only know what I heard my people speak of. I don't know
what was what for myself because I was too young.

"From what I can understand they had a big room at the house and the
slaves came there and ate there. They had a colored woman who prepared