Missouri

Ex-Slave Stories
~ ~	Page 6 •	~.	3()



father told him e.1l right to get rid of him4but Lewis had been so mean to father, dat down in father‘s heart he felt Lewis did. not have a spot of good in him. No place for a black man.

	“So father stayed just six months after dat promise and taken eleven of de best slaves on de plantation, and went to Kansas City and allof dem joined the U. S. Army. Dey enlisted de very night dey got to Kansas City and de very next morning de Pattie owners were dere on de trail after dem to take dem back hone, but de of~ficers said dey were now enlisted U.S. Soldiers and not slaves and could not be touched.

	“In de ~ county where I was raised de white people wfi~ to church in de morning and de slaves went in de afternoon. I was converted at the age of fourteen, and married in 1882. I~Iy hus-~ band died May 2?, 1896 and I have been a widow every since. I do get a pension now~ I never started buying dis 3ittle old. ~ 4-room freine dwelling until I was sixty-four years old and paid. for it in full in six years and six months.

	“I am a member of St. Peter‘s A.M.E. Church in North St. Louis. I told you my father‘s name was Spot, but that was his nickname in slavery. His full nsme *asSpolt woc~ Rieeean~din~.