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	.	-		~ .	~ .		Minnie B. Ross.
	EX TOl~ SLztVE.	. ~
	Hk1~NN4~H AUSTIN.	~ ~



	?~hen the ~r1ter was presented to Mrs. Hannah Austin. she was immediately impressed with her alert youthful appearance. Mrs. Austin Is well preserved ~or her age and speaks clearly

The Interview was a brief but Interesting one. fact that Mrs. austin was a small child when The c~use her family was classed as ‘~own slaves“ so superIor intelligence.

	M.rs. ~ustin was a child or ten or twelve years when the war trn~ed. !he doesn‘t know her exact age but estImated It to be between seventy and seventy five years . ~ She was born the oldest child o1 Liza and~!~~e Hall. Their master Mr. Frank Hall was very kind to them and consi derat e in hi s treatment of them, ~

	Bridfly Lfrs. £~.ustin gave the fo1lowIn~g account of slavery as she knew It, • “My family lived in a two roan well built house which had many windows and a ni ce large porch. Our ma, Mr. Hall was a merchant and. operated a clothing store. • ~ Because ~. Hall lived In towa he did not need.

but a few slaves. ~i1y ~ainily whIch included my mother, father, sister, and myself were his only servants. Originally Mr. Hall did not own any slaves, however after marrying Mrs. Hall we were given to her b~r her father as a part of~ her inheritance. .

~? mother nursed Mrs. Th~ilj fran a baby consequently the Hall
	1~	j
fami ly was very fond of her and often made the statement that they woud]. not part with her for anything in the workd, besides working as the cook ~‘or the

Hall family my mbther was also a tine seamstress and made clothing for the
Whitley, i~2~37
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and with much Intelligence. This was due partly to the Civil War ended and too beclassed because oC their