Amy Elizabeth Patterson
From:
Indiana
Ex-Slave Stories
District #5
Vanderburgh County
Lauana Creel
MEMORIES OF SLAVERY AND THE LIFE STORY OF
AMY ELIZABETH PATTERSON
The slave mart, separation from a dearly beloved mother and little
sisters are among the earliest memories recalled by Amy Elizabeth
Patterson, a resident of Evansville, Indiana.
Amy Elizabeth, now known as "Grandmother Patterson" resides with her
daughter Lula B. Morton at 512 Linwood Avenue near Cherry Street. Her
birth occurred July 12, 1850 at Cadiz, Trigg County, Kentucky. Her
mother was Louisa Street, slave of John Street, a merchant of Cadez.
[TR: likely Cadiz]
"John Street was never unkind to his slaves" is the testimony of
Grandmother Patterson, as she recalls and relates stories of the long
ago. "Our sorrow began when slave traders, came to Cadiz and bought such
slaves as he took a fancy to and separated us from our families!"
John Street ran a sort of agency where he collected slaves and yearly
sold them to dealers in human flesh. Those he did not sell he hired out
to other families. Some were hired or indentured to farmers, some to
stock raisers, some to merchants and some to captains of boats and the
hire of all these slaves went into the coffers of John Street, yearly
increasing his wealth.
Louisa Street, mother of Amy Elizabeth Patterson, was house maid at the
Street home and her first born daughter was fair with gold brown hair
and amber eyes. Mr. and Mrs. Street always promised Louisa they would
never sell her as they did not want to part with the child, so Louisa
was given a small cabin near the master's house. The mistress had a
child near the age of the little mulatto and Louisa was wet nurse for
both children as well as maid to Mrs. Street. Two years after the birth
of Amy Elizabeth, Louisa became mother of twin daughters, Fannie and
Martha Street, then John Street decided to sell all his slaves as he
contemplated moving into another territory.
The slaves were auctioned to the highest bidder and Louisa and the twins
were bought by a man living near Cadiz but Mr. Street refused to sell
Amy Elizabeth. She showed promise of growing into an excellent
house-maid and seamstress and was already a splendid playmate and nurse
to the little Street boy and girl. So Louisa lost her child but such
grief was shown by both mother and child that the mother was unable to
perform her tasks and the child cried continually. Then Mr. Street
consented to sell the little girl to the mother's new master.
Louisa Street became mother of seventeen children. Three were almost
white. Amy Elizabeth was the daughter of John Street and half sister of
his children by his lawful wife. Mrs. Street knew the facts and
respected Louisa and her child and, says grandmother Patterson, "That
was the greatest crime ever visited on the United States. It was worse
than the cruelty of the overseers, worse than hunger, for many slaves
were well fed and well cared for; but when a father can sell his own
child, humiliate his own daughter by auctioning her on the slave block,
what good could be expected where such practices were allowed?"
Grandmother Patterson remembers superstitions of slavery days and how
many slaves were afraid of ghosts and evil spirits but she never
believed in supernatural appearances until three years ago when she
received a message, through a medium, from the spirit land; now she is a
firm believer, not in ghosts and evil visitations, but in true
communication with the departed ones who still love and long to protect
those who remain on earth.
Several years ago a young grandson of the old woman was drowned. The
little boy was Stokes Morton, a very popular child rating high averages
in school studies and beloved by his teachers and friends. The mother,
Lulu B. Morton and the grandmother both gave up to grief, in fact they
both have declined in health and were unable to carry on their regular
duties.
Grandmother Patterson began suffering from a dental ailment and was
compelled to visit a dental surgeon. The dental surgeon suggested that
she visit a medium and seek some comforting message from the child.
She at once visited a medium and received a message. "Stokes answered
me. In fact he was waiting to communicate with us. He said 'Grandmother!
you and mother must stop staying at the cemetary and grieving for me.
Send the flowers to your sick friends and put in more time with the
other children. I am happy here, I am in a beautiful field, The sky is
blue and the field is full of beautiful white lambs that play with me.'"
The message comforted the aged woman. She began occupying her time with
other members of the family and again began to visit with her neighbors.
She felt a call two years later and again consulted the medium. That
time she received a message from the child, his father and a little girl
that had died in infancy. Grandmother Patterson said she would not
recall the ones who had gone on to the land of promise. She is a
christian and a believer in the Word of God.
Grandmother Patterson, in spite of her 87 years of life (fifteen of
which were passed in slavery) is useful in her daughter's home. Her
children and grand children are fond of her as indeed they well may be.
She is a refined woman, gracious to every person she encounters. She is
hoping for better opportunities for her race. She admonishes the younger
relatives to live in the fear and love of the Lord that no evil days
overtake them.
"Yes, slavery was a curse to this nation" she declares, "A curse which
still shows itself in hundreds of homes where mulatto faces are evidence
of a heinous sin and proof that there has been a time when American
fathers sold their children at the slave marts of America." She is glad
the curse has been erased even if by the bloodshed of heroes.
Next:
Preston's Story
Previous:
Joseph Mosley
Informational
