30729
85
	Interviewer	 Miss Irene Robertson
	Person interviewed	J~o~nWella, Kdmondson, Arkansas

Age82






	nI was born down here at Edmondson, Arkansas. My owner was ~ captain in the Rebel War ~Civil War). He ru.n us off to Texas close to Greenville. He was keeping us from the Yankees. In tact my father had planned to go to the Yankees. My mother died on the way to Texas close to the A.rkansas line • She was e onfined and the child died too. We went in a wagon. Uncle Torn and his wife and. Uncle Granville went too. He left his wife • She lived on another white man.‘ s farm. My master was Captain R . Campbell ~onea. He

took us to Texas. He and. my father come back in the same wagon we went to Texas in. My father ~‘oe ~‘ones WellsJ told Captain R. Campbell zones if he

didn‘t let him come back here that he would be here when he got here-~-beat him back. That‘s what he told him. Captain brought him on back with him.

“What didn‘t WO do in. Texas? Hooeee~ I had five hundred head of sheep belonging to 3. Gardner, a Texan, to herd every day--twice a day. Carry

t eni off in the morning early and watch ‚ em end fetch ‚ em back ‘ fore dark. I was a shepherd boy is right. I liked the job till the snow cracked my feet open. No, t didn‘t have no shoes. Little rotuid cactuses stuck in my
	feet,	-

	t, I had shoe 8 to wear home • capta in Yone s save leather and every~ thing needed to Uncle Granville • He was a shoemaker. He made us all shoes ~U5t before we was to start back. Captain Jonea sent the wagon back tor us • My tather come back r ight here at Edniondaon and tarriied cotton and corn.