James Jackson
State: Texas Interviewee:
Jackson, James
JAMES JACKSON, 87, was born a slave to the Alexander family, in
Caddo Parish, La. When he was about two, his master moved to Travis
County, Texas. A short time later he and his two brothers were
stolen and sold to Dr. Davall, in Bastrop Co., Texas. He worked
around Austin till he married, when he moved to Taylor and than
to Kaufman. In 1929 he went to Fort Worth where he has lived ever
since.
State: Texas Interviewee: Jackson, James
"I was bo'n at Caddo Parish, date in Louisiana, on de Doc
Alexander plantation. My mother says I was bo'n on de 18th day
of December, in de year of 1850. I guess dat's right, 'cause I's
87 years ole dis comin' December.
State: Texas Interviewee: Jackson, James
"Jus' 'bout dat time dey started shippin' de darkies to Texas.
My marster moved to Travis County. Texas, and tuk all his slaves
wid him. I was too young to 'member, but my mother, she told me
'bout it.
State: Texas Interviewee: Jackson, James
"It wasn' long after we was on Marster Alexander's new place
in Travis County, till one night a man rode up on a hoss and stole
me and my two brothers and rode away wid us. He tuk us to Bastrop
County and sold us to Doc Duvall. Marster Duvall sold my brother
right after he bought us, but me and John, we stayed wid him till
de slaves was freed.
State: Texas Interviewee: Jackson, James
"On Marster Davall's plantation de slaves all lived in log
cabins back of de big house. Dey was one room, two rooms and three
room cabins, dependin' on de size of de family. Most had dirt
floors, but some of 'em had log slabs. We had dese ole wooden
beds wid a rope stretch 'cross de bottom and a mattress of straw
or cotton dat de niggers got in de fiel'. We had lots to eat,
like biscuit, cornbread, meat and sich stuff. Most times dey made
coffee outta parch cornmeal. We had gardens and raised most of
de stuff to eat.
State: Texas Interviewee: Jackson, James
"I herds sheep and is houseboy most of de time. When I was
ole enough, I picks cotton. I was jus' learnin' when de slaves
was freed. Marster Duvall had over 500 acres in cotton and he
kep' us in de fiel' all de time, 'cept Saturday afternoon and
Sunday.
State: Texas Interviewee: Jackson, James
"Dey had meetin' and dances Saturday nights. I was too young
to 'member jus' what de songs was, but dey had a fiddle and played
all night long. On ever' Sunday de niggers went to Church in de
evenin'. Dey had a white preacher in de mornin' and a cullud preacher
in de evenin'.
State: Texas Interviewee: Jackson, James
"Marster Duvall would whip de niggers who was disobedience
and he jus' call dem up and ask dem what was de trouble, den he
would whip dem wid a cowhide or a rope whip. We could go anywhere
iffen we had a pass, but if we didn' de paddlerollers would ketch
us. They was kinda like policemen we got today.
State: Texas Interviewee: Jackson, James
"In slavery, dey traded and sold niggers like dey do hosses
and mules. Dey carry dem to de court house and put dem on de block
and auction 'em off. Some sold for roun' $3,000. It was hard to
sell one wid scars on him, 'cause nobody wanted him, I seen 'em
come by in droves, all chained together.
State: Texas Interviewee: Jackson, James
"When de slaves was free day was sho' happy. Dey all got
together and had a kin' of cel'bration. Marster told dem if dey
wanted to stay and help make de drop, he'd give 'em 50 cents a
day and a place to stay. Some tuk him up on dat and stayed, but
a lot of dam left dere. Me and my brother, we started walkin'
to Austin. In Austin we finds our mother, she was working for
Judge Paschal. She hires us out to one place and den another.
State: Texas Interviewee: Jackson, James
"Since freedom I done most everything anybody could do. I
been porter and waiter in hotels and rest'rants. I been factory
hand, and worked for carpenters and in de roun' house. I picked
cotton and worked on de farm.
State: Texas Interviewee: Jackson, James
"I been married 61 years. I gits married at home, like civilize
folks do. I raised a big family, 12 chillen, but only five is
alive today. I moved here in 1929 and looks like I's here till
I die.
State: Texas Interviewee: Jackson, James
James Jackson, was born a slave to the Alexander family, in Caddo
Parrish, Louisiana. When about two years old, his master moved
to Travis County, Texas. A short time later he and his two brothers
were stole and sold to Dr. Duvall, in Bastrop County. When the
slaves were freed he went to live with his mother in Austin, Texas.
He worked around Austin till he married, he then moved to Taylor,
and then to Kaufman. In the year of 1929, he moved to Fort Worth
and has lived here since that time.
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