And they took one fellow belonged to the same man
I did.
"My owner's name was Jack Byrd. We stayed with him about a year and then
we farmed for ourselves.
"I never went to school much.
"My mother was a widow woman and I had to work. That was in South
Carolina.
"I come to Arkansas in 1890. I didn't marry till I was about
thirty-seven. I got one child living. That's my daughter; I live with
her. She's a bookkeeper for Perry's Undertaking Company.
"When I come to Arkansas I stopped down here in Ashley County. I farmed
till I come to Pine Bluff. I been here forty years. I worked at the
stave mills. I just worked for three different firms in forty years.
"I used to own this place, but I had to let it go on account of taxes.
Then my daughter bought it in.
"I been tryin' to get a pension but don't look like I'm go in' to get
it.
"I have to stay here with these children while my daughter works. It
takes all she makes to keep things goin'."
Interviewer: Miss Irene Robertson.
Person interviewed: Emmett Augasta Byrd, Marianna, Arkansas
Age: 83
"I was born in Washington County, Missouri. I'm eighty-three years old.
Mother's owner was William Byrd. He got killed in a dispute over a
horse. A horse trader shot him. His name was Cal Dony.[TR: There is a
mark that may be a line over the 'o' or a tilde over the 'n'.] Father's
owner was Byrd too.
Pages:
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344