Campbell Davis
From:
Texas
CAMPBELL DAVIS, 85, was born in Harrison Co., Texas, a slave of
Henry Hood. He remained on the Hood place about three years after
he was freed, then farmed in Louisiana. In 1873 he married and
moved back to Harrison Co., where he farmed until old age forced
him to stop. He now lives with his nephew, Billie Jenkins, near
Karnack. Campbell receives a $12.00 per month old age pension.
"I's big 'nough in slavery time to hear dem tell de darkies to get up
and go in the mornin', and to hear the whistlin' of dem whips and
howlin' of de dogs. I's birthed up in the northeast part of this county
right on the line of Louisiana and Texas, and 'longed to old man Henry
Hood. My mammy and daddy was Campbell and Judy Davis and dey both come
from Alabama, and was brung here by de traders and sold to Massa Hood.
They was nine of us chillen, name Ellis and Hildaman and Henderson and
Henrietta and Georgia and Harriet and Patsy.
"Massa Henry didn't have de fine house but it a big one. Us quarters sot
off 'cross de field in de edge of a skit of woods. Dey have dirt floors
and a fireplace and old pole and plank bunks nail to de walls.
"Dey fed us beef and veg'tables--any kind, jus' name it--and 'low us sop
bread in potlicker till de world look level. Dat good eatin' and all my
life I ain't have no better.
"Massa didn't 'low no overseer on he place. One my uncles de driver, and
massa blow de old conk shell long 'fore day, and if de darkies didn't
git goin' you'd hear dem whips crackin'.
"I seed one my sisters whip 'cause she didn't spin 'nough. Dey pull de
clothes down to her waist and laid her down on de stomach and lash her
with de rawhide quirt. I's in de field when dey whips my Uncle Lewis for
not pickin' 'nough cotton. De driver pull he clothes down and make him
lay on de groun'. He wasn't tied down, but he say he scart to move.
"De women am off Friday afternoon to wash clothes and all de hands git
Saturday afternoon and mos' de man go huntin' or fishin'. Sometimes dey
have parties Saturday night and couples git on de floor and have music
of de fiddle and banjo. I only 'members one ring play:
"Hop light, li'l lady,
The cakes all dough,
Don't mind de weather,
Jus' so de wind don't blow.
"De bigges' day to blacks and whites was fourth of July. De hands was
off all day and massa give de big dinner out under de trees. He allus
barbecue de sheep or beef and have cakes and pies and fancy cookin'.
He's one de bes' bosses round dat country. He 'lieve in makin' dem work
and when dey need whippin' he done it, but when it come to feedin' he
done dat right, too. And on Christmas he give us clothes and shoes and
nuts and things and 'nother big dinner, and on Christmas night de
darkies sing songs for de white folks.
"Us git some book larnin' 'mongst ourselves, round de quarters, and have
our own preacher. Mos' de time us chillen play, makin' frog holes in de
sand and mud people and things.
"I done hear lots of talk 'bout ghosts and hants and think I seed one
onct. I's comin' home from de neighbors at night, in de moonlight, and
'rectly I seed something white by side de road. De closer I gits de
bigger it gits. I's scart but I walks up to it and it nothin' but de big
spiderweb on de bush. Den I says to myself, 'Dere ain't nothin' to dis
ghost business.'
"Massa have one son go to war and he taken a old cullud man with him. I
seed soldiers on hosses comin' and goin' de big road, and lots of dem
come to Port Caddo in boats. De pretties' sight I ever seed am a soldier
band all dress in de uniforms with brass buttons. When de soldiers come
back from de war dey throwed cannon balls 'long de road and us chillen
play with dem.
"When de war am over, massa call us all and say we's free, but can stay
on and work for de victuals and clothes. A bunch leaves and go to de
Progoe Marshal at Shreveport and ask him what to do. He tell dem to go
back and wait till dey find work some place. My mammy and me stays at de
Hood place 'bout three years. When I's twenty-one I marries and come
back to Harrison County. Mammy and me done farm in Louisiana up to dat.
My wife and me marries under de big oak tree front of de Leigh Church.
Us jus' common folks and doesn't have no infair or big to-do when us
marry.
"I's voted but our people won't pull together. I votes de 'publican
ticket de long time, but last time I pulls over and votes de Democrat
ticket. I 'cides I jus' as well go with de braves as stay with de scart.
"If de young gen'ration would study dey could make something out
deyselves, but dey wont do it. Dey am too wild. Jus' last week, I hears
de young cullud preacher at Karnack say, 'Brudders and sisters, style
and brightness am what we needs today.' I looks at him and says to
myself, 'Thank de Lawd I knows better'n dat.' When I's comin' up it am
dark, but I knows better things am ahead for us people and us trusts in
de Lawd and was hones' with our white folks and profits by what dey
tells us. Dey wasn't no niggers sent to jail when I's comin' up. It dis
'style and brightness' what gits de young niggers in trouble. Dey got de
dark way 'head of dem, less dey stops and studies and make somethin' out
deyselves."
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William Davis
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Carey Davenport
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