Work

"A slave better pick a hundred pounds of cotton in a day. You better
pick a hundred. I couldn't pick a hundred. I never was much on picking
cotton.

"I weeded corn, planted corn and cotton, cut up wheat, pulled fodder,
and did all such work. I plowed before the War about two years. I used
to have to take the horses and go hide when the soldiers would go
through. I was about nineteen years old when Lee surrendered. That would
make me somewheres about ninety-four years old. The boys figgered it all
out when they had the old age contest 'round here. They added up the
times I worked and put everything together.


Family

"I raised eight children. Have five living. And I reckon about
forty children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and
great-great-grandchildren. You see I have been here right smart time.


Schooling

"Colored folks didn't get no learning then. I never learned to read or
write. Before I married, I learned to spell my name, but I had so much
to do I have forgot how to do that.