Betty Bormer
From:
Texas
BETTY BORMER, 80, was born a slave to Col. M.T. Johnson, who farmed
at Johnson Station in Tarrant County. He owned Betty's parents,
five sisters and four brothers, in addition to about 75 other
slaves. After the family was freed, they moved with the other
slaves to a piece of land Col. Johnson allowed them the use of
until his death. Betty lives in a negro settlement at Stop Six, a
suburb of Fort Worth.
"I'se bo'n April 4th, in 1857, at Johnson Station. It was named after my
marster. He had a big farm, I'se don' know how many acres. He had seven
chillen; three boys, Ben, Tom and Mart, and four girls, Elizabeth,
Sally, Roddy and Veanna.
"Marster Johnson was good to us cullud folks and he feeds us good. He
kep' lots of hawgs, dat makes de meat. In de smokehouse am hung up meat
enough for to feed de army, it looks like. We'uns have all de clothes we
need and dey was made on de place. My mammy am de sewing woman and my
pappy am de shoemaker. My work, for to nuss de small chillen of de
marster.
"On Sat'day we's let off work and lots de time some of us come to Fort
Worth wid de marster and he gives us a nickel or a dime for to buy
candy.
"Dey whips de niggers sometimes, but 'twarn't hard. You know, de nigger
gits de devilment in de head, like folks do, sometimes, and de marster
have to larn 'em better. He done dat hisself and he have no overseer. No
nigger tried run away, 'cause each family have a cabin wid bunks for to
sleep on and we'uns all live in de quarters. Sich nigger as wants to
larn read and write, de marster's girls and boys larns 'em. De girls
larned my auntie how to play de piano.
"Dere am lots of music on dat place; fiddle, banjo and de piano.
Singin', we had lots of dat, songs like Ole Black Joe and 'ligious songs
and sich. Often de marster have we'uns come in his house and clears de
dinin' room for de dance. Dat am big time, on special occasion. Dey not
calls it 'dance' dem days, dey calls it de 'ball.'
"Sho', we'uns goes to church and de preacher's name, it was Jack Ditto.
"Durin' de war, I notices de vittles am 'bout de same. De soldiers come
dere and dey driv' off over de hill some of de cattle for to kill for to
eat. Once dey took some hosses and I hears marster say dem was de
Quantrell mens. Dey comes several times and de marster don' like it, but
he cain't help it.
"When freedom come marster tells all us to come to front of de house. He
am standin' on de porch. Him 'splains 'bout freedom and says, 'You is
now free and can go whar you pleases.' Den he tells us he have larned us
not to steal and to be good and we'uns should 'member dat and if we'uns
gets in trouble to come to him and he will help us. He sho' do dat, too,
'cause de niggers goes to him lots of times and he always helps.
"Marster says dat he needs help on de place and sich dat stays, he'd pay
'em for de work. Lots of dem stayed, but some left. To dem dat leaves,
marster gives a mule, or cow and sich for de start. To my folks, marster
gives some land. He doesn't give us de deed, but de right to stay till
he dies.
"Sho', I seen de Klux after de war but I has no 'sperience wid 'em. My
uncle, he gits whipped by 'em, what for I don' know 'zactly, but I think
it was 'bout a hoss. Marster sho' rave 'bout dat, 'cause my uncle
weren't to blame.
"When de Klux come de no 'count nigger sho make de scatterment. Some
climb up de chimney or jump out de winder and hide in de dugout and
sich.
"De marster dies 'bout seven years after freedom and everybody sorry
den. I never seen such a fun'ral and lots of big men from Austin comes.
He was de blessed man!
"I married de second year after de T.P. railroad come to Fort Worth, to
Sam Jones and he work on de Burk Burnett stock ranch. I'se divorseted
from him after five years and den after 12 more years I marries Rubbin
Felps. My las' husban's named Joe Borner, but I'se never married to the
father of my only chile. His name am George Pace.
"I allus gits long fair, 'cause after freedom I keeps on workin' doin'
de nussin'. Now I'se gittin' 'leven dollars from de state for pension,
and gits it every month so now I'se sho' of somethin' to eat and dat
makes me happy.
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Harrison Boyd
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Elvira Boles
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