"To eliminate this solid support of the South, the Emancipation Act was
passed, freeing all slaves. Most of the slaves were so ignorant they did
not realize they were free. The planters knew this and as Kentucky never
seceeded from the Union, they would send slaves into Kentucky from other
states in the south and hire them out to plantations. For these reasons
I did not realize that I was free untill 1864. I immediately resolved to
run away and join the Union Army and so my brother and I went to
Owensburg, Ky. and tried to join. My brother was taken, but I was
refused as being too young. I [HW: tried] at Evansville, Terre Haute and
Indianapolis but was unable to get in. I then tried to find work and was
finally hired by a man at $7.00 a month. That was my first independent
job. From then on I went from one job to another working as general
laborer.

"I married at 24 years of age and had four children. My wife has been
dead for 12 years and 8 months. Mr. Miller, always remember that:

"The brightest man, the prettiest flower
May be cut down, and withered in an hour."

"Today, I am the only surviving member who helped organize the second
Baptist Church here in Lafayette, 64 years ago. I've tried to live
according to the way the Lord would wish, God Bless you."

"The clock of Life is wound but once.
Today is yours, tomorrow is not.
No one knows when the hands will stop."