Ben Johnson
From:
Arkansas
Interviewer: Miss Irene Robertson
Person interviewed: Ben Johnson
Near Holly Grove and Clarendon, Arkansas
Age: 73
"My master was Wort Garland. My papa's master was Steve Johnson. Papa
went off to Louisiana and I never seen him since. I guess he got
killed. I was born in Madison County, Tennessee. I come to Arkansas
1889. Mother was here. She come on a transient ticket. My papa come
wid her to Holly Grove. They both field hands. I worked on the
section--railroad section. I cut and hauled timber and farms. I never
own no land, no home. I have two boys went off and a grown girl in
Phillips County. I don't get no help. I works bout all I able and can
get to do.
"I have voted. I votes a Republican ticket. I like this President. If
the men don't know how to vote recken the women will show em how.
"The present conditions is very good. The present generation is beyond
me.
"I heard my folks set around the fireplace at night and talk about
olden times but I couldn't tell it straight and I was too little to
know bout it.
"We looked all year for Christmas to get some good things in our
stockings. They was knit at night. Now we has oranges and bananas all
the time, peppermint candy--in sticks--best candy I ever et. Folks
have more now that sort than we had when I was growing up. We was
raised on meat and corn bread, milk, and garden stuff. Had plenty
apples, few peaches, sorghum molasses, and peanuts. Times is better
now than when I come on far as money goes. Wood is scarce and folks
can't have hogs no more. No place to run and feed cost so much. Can't
buy it. Feed cost more 'en the hog. Times change what makes the folks
change so much I recken."
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