Betty Hodge
From:
More Arkansas
Interviewer: Miss Irene Robertson
Person Interviewed: Betty Hodge
Hazen, Ark.
Age: 63
"Uncle Billy Hill used to visit us. He was Noah's uncle. He was a slave
and one thing I remembers hearing him tell was this: He was the hostler
for his old master. The colored folks was having a jubilee. He wanted to
go. He stole one of the carriage horses out--rode it. It started
snowing. He said he went out to see bout the horse and it seemed be
doin' all right. After a while here come somebody and told him that
horse he rode was dead. He didn't believe it, but went out there and it
was sho dead. He said he took that horse by the tail and started runnin'
up the road. They drug that horse home and put him in the stable where
he belong at. It was snowing so hard and fast they couldn't see their
hands 'fo em he said. It snowed so much it covered up where they drug
the horse and their tracks. He said the snow saved his life. They found
the horse dead and never thought bout him having him out at the jubilee.
He said none of em ever told a word bout it but for long time he was
scared to death fear the old master find out bout it.
"Grandma Frances was born in West Virginia. She was papa's mama. She
purt nigh raised us. Mama and papa went to the field to work. She cooked
and done the housework. She had a good deal of Indian blood in her. I
heard em say. She had high cheeks and the softest, prettiest hair. She
told about the stars falling. She said they never hit the ground, that
they was like shooting stars 'cepting they all come down like. Everybody
was scared to death. She talked a good deal about Haywood County--I
believe that was in Tennessee--that was where they lived durin' of the
war. Papa made her a livin' long as she lived. When she got old noises
bothered her, so then we growed up and she lived by herself in front of
our house in a house.
"Grandma Frances and our family come to Arkansas 'reckly after the Civil
War. They come with Mr. John and Miss Olivia Cooper. Miss Olivia was his
wife, but Miss Presh was a old maid. Folks used to think it was sort of
bad if a woman didn't marry. Thought she have no chances. It sort of be
something like a disgrace if a woman was a old maid. Don't seem
that-a-way no more. I never heard much about Miss Presh but I heard mama
tell this: Grandma Mary Lea come on a visit to see mama and she brought
her some sweet potatoes in a bag. Had nothing else and wanted to bring
her something. Miss Olivia picked out the biggest ones and took em. Said
she was mean. Said she had a plenty of everything. Just left mama the
smallest ones. She said Miss Olivia was stingy. Mama was the house girl
and nurse and they had a cook. Mama was a girl then she belong to the
Coopers, but mama belong to somebody else. She hadn't married then.
"One day Miss Olivia called her and she didn't get there soon as Miss
Olivia wanted her to. Miss Olivia say, 'You getting mean, Lucy. You like
your ma.' She said, 'I just like you if I'm mean.' But Miss Olivia
didn't understand it. She ask the cook and the cook told her she was
talking to her. She told Mr. John Cooper to whoop em but he didn't. He
kind of laughed and ask the cook what Lucy said to Miss Olivia. Miss
Olivia told him if he didn't whoop em both she was going back home. He
told her he would take her and she wouldn't come back neither when she
left. He didn't whoop neither one of em and she never left him till she
died, cause I been over to Des Arc and seen all of em since I come in
this world.
"Mama was Lucy Lea till she married Will Holloway, my papa. Then she
married Isarel Thomas the preacher here at Hazen. He come from Tennessee
with old Dr. Hazen (white man). Mama's mama was Mary Lea; she lived out
here at Green Grove. I don't know where she was born, but she was owned
by the Lea's round Des Arc. She come and stay a month or two with us on
a visit.
"Old folks was great hands to talk bout olden times. I forgot bout all
they told.
"In old times folks had more principal, now they steal and fight and
loud as they can be. Folks used to be quiet, now they be as loud as they
can all the time. They dance and carouse all night long--fuss and fight!
Some of our young folks got to change. The times have changed so much
and still changing so fast I don't know what goin' to be the end. I
study bout it a lot."
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Minnie Hollomon
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Ben Hite
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