farm of Charles Ash, in Anderson county, Kentucky, and it was there that
I grew up.

I remember playing with Ol' Massa's (as he was called) boys, Charley,
Jim and Bill. I also have an unpleasant memory of having seen other
slaves on the place, tied up to the whipping post and flogged for
disobeying some order although I have no recollection of ever having
been whipped myself as I was only a boy. I can also remember how the
grown-up negroes on the place left to join the Union Army as soon as
they learned of Lincoln's proclamation making them free men.


Ed. Note--Mr. Ash was sick when interviewed and was not able to do much
talking. He had no picture of himself but agreed to pose for one later
on. [TR: no photograph found.]


[Mrs. Mary Crane]

[Illustration: Mrs. Mary Crane]

I was born on the farm of Wattie Williams, in 1855 and am eighty-two
years old. I came to Mitchell, Indiana, about fifty years ago with my
husband, who is now dead and four children and have lived here ever
since. I was only a girl, about five or six years old when the Civil War
broke out but I can remember very well, happenings of that time.

My mother was owned by Wattie Williams, who had a large farm, located in
Larue county, Kentucky. My father was a slave on the farm of a Mr.
Duret, nearby.