Elodga Bradford
State: Mississippi Interviewee: Bradford,
Elodga
Bradford, Elodga
State: Mississippi Interviewee: Bradford, Elodga
Elodga Bradford lives out in the Negro Quarters of Port Gibson,
Mississippi, in a small, one story house with his daughter, her
husband, and their three children. The house, although not spotlessly
in order, is a typical Negro home. Elodga and his family live,
if not in the height of prosperity, at least comfortably.
State: Mississippi Interviewee: Bradford, Elodga
Old Elodga is really a character. He proudly proclaims his age
to be 92 years. Small in statue, about 5 feet 5 inches, very thin
and emaciated in appearance, he weighs around 112 pounds, and
gives the general impression that a puff of wind would blow him
into the herafter. On his head was a dilapidated, much worn, much
prized straw hat of ancient years which he apparently wears in
the house, out of the house, and no doubt even to bed. On his
thin, pudgy nose is a pair of small, old fashioned glasses. However,
as they rested on the tip of his nose, and he constantly peered
over the top of them with raised eyebrows in a questioning gaze,
they were not exactly beneficial.
State: Mississippi Interviewee: Bradford, Elodga
He is very black and an old time Negro, of the old War days, and
there is no mistaking that.
State: Mississippi Interviewee: Bradford, Elodga
"Does I 'member when dere was slav'ry times an' Civil War
times? I reckon I does! I was in de war. Can't nobody tell old
Elodga nothin' 'bout dat dere Civil War. I was right dere on de
battle fiel' an' seed it all. No suh! Can't nobody tell dis heah
nigger nothin' he don't already know 'bout dem times.
State: Mississippi Interviewee: Bradford, Elodga
"When de war broke out, I belong to Doctor Charles Chamberlain,
an' we live right chere in Port Gibson. De doctor sho' was a good
man. He owned powerful lot o' niggers.
State: Mississippi Interviewee: Bradford, Elodga
"I never will fo'git de day he lef' fo' de war. I was de
proudest nigger on de plantation. Doctor Charles was takin' me
to de war wid him.
State: Mississippi Interviewee: Bradford, Elodga
"I marched right wid him out of dis town an' away to de battle
fiel'. I don't rightly recollect whar we was stationed fust, but
I 'member marchin' to Natchez soon after we done lef' home. We
was right in de thick of it right frum de start. Anybody who say
I say I ain't seen heaps o' killin' an' got deaf wid all de noise,
ain't a tellin' de truf.
State: Mississippi Interviewee: Bradford, Elodga
"I was Doctor Charles body 'tendant an' den I cooks for him
an' nine other gen'men. Sometimes when de guns was quiet us niggers
would git out an' entertain de camp. Den we would all git to laughin'
an' be right jolly. But mos' de time it was serious talk. We was
losin' too many men.
State: Mississippi Interviewee: Bradford, Elodga
"We was in Cap'in Dordens' company, an' he sho' was a right
good cap'in.
State: Mississippi Interviewee: Bradford, Elodga
"Den de las' year of de war we jined forces in Atlanta ---
an' whew! now dat was some battle. I 'member I was some scared
mos' to deaf! I was right dere when dey said de war is over an'
you kin all go home.
State: Mississippi Interviewee: Bradford, Elodga
"I tried to fin' Doctor Charles but I fin' out dey had tuk
him prisoner. So I starts on my way back home wid six other niggers
frum Mississippi. It tuk me six weeks to walk back to Port Gibson
frum Atlanta, Georgia.
State: Mississippi Interviewee: Bradford, Elodga
"When I got home I says to mah self, I says: 'Elodga, you
has been away frum home long 'nough now. Frum now on you is gwine
to res' yo' weary haid, let yo' trampin' feet relas, recline yo'
po' pitiful body, an' stay put in Port Gibson frum now on.' An'
I has been here ever' since.
State: Mississippi Interviewee: Bradford, Elodga
"My pappy was a free nigger befo' de war. Dere was twelve
of us chullun, an' mammy an' me got sol' to Doctor Chamberlain.
State: Mississippi Interviewee: Bradford, Elodga
ones
State: Mississippi Interviewee: Bradford, Elodga
"It sho' was different after de war. Some of dese crazy niggers
got right out o' line wid dey freedom, but us old uns(1) knows
dat slav'ry times wa'nt so bad. No Suh!"
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