Age: 85
[May 31 1938]


"What's my name? I got a good name. Name's Jeff Davis. Miss Mary Vinson
was some of my white folks.

"Oh Lord yes, I was here in slavery times--runnin' around like you
are--ten years old. I'm eighty-five even.

"Soldiers used to give me dimes and quarters. Blue coats was what they
called 'em. And the Rebs was Gray.

"Yankees had a gun as long as from here to there. Had cannon-balls
weighed a hundred and forty-four pounds.

"I'm a musician--played the fife. Played it to a T. Had two kinds of
drums. Had different kinds of brass horns too. I 'member one time they
was a fellow thought he could beat the drum till I took it.

"Had plenty to eat. Old master fed us plenty.

"Oh, I used to do a heap of work in a day.

"I was 'bout ten when freedom come. Yes ma'am."




Interviewer: Watt McKinney