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~ 16, 1937	~ ~ ~‚ ~ “~)th
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THOMLS FOOTE‘S STORY
(A free Negro)


Reference:	Personal interview‘ with Thomas Foote at his home, Cookeysville, Md.


	“My mother‘s name was Eliza Foote and my father‘s name was Thomas Foote. Father and mother of a large family that was reared on a small farm about a mile east of Cookeysville, a village situated on the Northern Central

Railroad 15 miles north of Baltimore City.

	“My mother‘s maiden name was Myers, a daughter of a free man of Baltimore County. In her younger days she was employed by Dr.~Ensor, a homeopathic medical doctor of Cobkeysville who was a noted doctor in his day. Mrs. Ensor, a very refined and cultured woman, taught her to read and write. My mother‘s duty along with her other work was to assist Dr. Eiisor in the making of some of his medicine. In gaining practicCai experience and knowledge of different herbs. and roots that Dr. Ensor used in the compounding of hisraedicine, used them for ccxmxnercial purposes for herself among the slaves and free colored p~éople of Baltimore County, especially of the Merryxnans, Ridgelys, Roberts, Cockeye and Mayfields. Her faine reached as far south as Baltimore City aixi north of Balti-‘ more as far as the Pennsylvania line and the surrounding territo ry. She was styled and caLled the doctor woman both by the slaves and the free people. She was suspected by the white people i~ut confided in by the colored people both for their ills and their troubles.

	“My mother prescribed for her people and ccmpounded medicine out of the same le ayes ‚ herbs and roots that Dr • Ensor did. Naturally her success along these lines was good. She also delivered many babies and acted as a midwife for the poor whites and the slaves and free Negroes of which there were a number in Baltimore County/

	“The colored people have always been religiously inclined, believed in the power of prayer and whenever she attended anyone she always preceeded